


Shattered World

by ChaoticMind (ChloeCasey)



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: And I ship her with Mabel, Blind Dipper Pines, Ford never got captured, No Human Bill, Pyronica is my favorite of the henchman, This is an AU, Triangle Bill Cipher, Weirdmageddon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-08
Updated: 2016-06-11
Packaged: 2018-06-01 02:59:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 22,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6498169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChloeCasey/pseuds/ChaoticMind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The world has ended. Bill has shattered the Rift. The only thing Ford could think to do is run. </p><p>Now it's months later and the Stan Twins are the only resistance group left. But a mysterious figure has appeared, dead-set on capturing and bringing them to "Master Cipher."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

It was just a simple summer day. Stan was swindling customers, the town was bustling as always.

He never expected that day to be the last day of humanity.

It had happened so fast; one moment he was down in the lab, the next he had dashed outside only to see a cacophony of color rip across the sky, feeling his blood run cold as a large triangular figure floated in the center, laughing with a maniac glee as he waited for his new body to form.

Ford's mind spun. His thoughts zipped left and right, adrenaline pounding in his veins as he started to panic, heart constricting with a vile hopelessness in his chest. He felt his fists clench, and turned, running into the forest with reckless abandon.

"STANLEY!!!! STANLEY!!!!" His desperate screams echoed through the air, boots slamming down onto the dirt as he sprinted, not stumbling even as the sky began to light up with unnatural bolts of lightning. The man tried not to let the distant screams of the town assault his ears, instead gasping as a red fez came into sight.

"Ford?" Stanley looked up in confusion, in the process of nailing wooden signs to trees, as said twin skidded to a stop in front of him, eyes wild with fright. "WE HAVE TO LEAVE! WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!"

Stan's brow furrowed in slight befuddlement. "...Why?"

Ford growls, jabbing a finger up in the air. "Look up, you idiot!"

Stan's jaw drops when he sees the tear in the Universe, and stares. "..What is that."

"It's a Rift in space/time. Created by you messing with the portal. I had contained it for a while but now Bill has set it loose and the apocalypse has started to begin!"

"WHAT?!?!"

"YES AND WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!!"

Stan looks back down, and his face is contorted in worry. "WELL WHERE ARE THE KIDS?!"

"I THOUGHT YOU KNEW!!"

"I THOUGHT THEY WERE WITH YOU!"

"NO!!"

"SHIT!!" Ford rubs his face, biting his lip before turning back in the direction of the Shack. "They must be in town. We have to find them." "Ok. Got any weapons against mind demons, Sixer?"

The man chuckles bitterly and he grins. "Never thought you'd ask."

~-----~

The town was in utter disarray. They had crowded around Bill, but their bravado quickly dispersed when Preston had his face switched. Now people were scattered like scared rabbits, and were quickly being caught by the Eyeball-Bats. Monsters were starting to emerge thanks to the waves of Weirdness, and buildings were being torn through like paper. Fires started as wires malfunctioned, and madness bubbles floated through the streets, their distorted colors appearing sickly against the now permanent red hue the world has taken.

A terrifying sight indeed.

Ford presses his back against the remains of the arcade, peeking around the bricks, eyes darting. Bill was nowhere to be seen; although there was now a gigantic pyramid in the center of the town, no doubt that's where the demon resides. He holds his lazer gun in one hand, while Stan had his electric gloves on. His heart gives an unpleasant jerk, feeling a cold wash of regret throughout his body. If he hadn't been so blinded this wouldn't have happened. Things would've been normal. Happy. Instead, he has brought the world to ruin.

"Are we clear?" Stan whispers from behind and Ford nods.

"Nothing right now." The two quickly dash from their hiding places, and cross the street, cutting diagonally across the cracked pavement, barely passing the ocular beam of a Bat. Stan bites his lip, thinking hard. Where would those kids go? The docks? The library? Museum?

He growls, but then jumps as Ford pushes him over a fence, the man's limbs flailing as he falls backwards onto his upper back, managing to bite back a groan of mild pain. Ford quickly jumps over and crouches down, eyes darting.

"..Could give a warning next time."

"Shh!"

The twin shushes him, before peeking out of the hiding place. He sees a dismantled mall, windows broken and bricks missing, but the building itself looks rather stable.

"There. Maybe the kids are in there." Stan quickly rolls over, his eyes wide with slight hope.

"You think so?" "It's the only place they _could_  be; everything else is in shambles."

"Good point." The Twins wait for a moment, hearts pounding in their chests. They sprint toward the building, legs burning slightly, and manage to squeeze through the narrow opening of two broken doors.

Ford pants, hands on his knees, the air thick and the silence of the building eerie. Stan looks around, looking nervous.

"DIPPER?!! MABEL?!" The shout echoes through the empty space, and there is no response. Ford feels his stomach drop slightly, and he stands up.

"KIDS?! HELLO?!?!" They begin to walk, and continue to call out, weapons, for now, slack in their hold. But the lack of response is making them worry. Ford can't help but feel his chest tighten. They had to be here. _They had to._  "DIPPER!!! MABEL!!!"

...A voice pipes up, off to the side of the main walkway. "Mr. Pines?" The two's eyes snap over quickly, seeing a teenager with bright red hair. She was wearing face-paint and a bandana made from her own shirt.

"WENDY!" Stan rushes over, smiling wide in relief. "Thank God you're ok! We thought everyone had been captured!"

"Nah, I had holed up in here after running back to town. Didn't see anyone else though." At that, the smile on Stan's face dropped.

"..You mean...Dipper and Mabel aren't with you?"

Wendy stares for a moment, then deflates. "..No. I'm sorry." Ford grits his teeth, watching as his brother's face falls, obviously torn up about his missing niece and nephew.

Wendy looks around, holding up a crossbow. "Look, we can't stay out in the open like this. Come on."

~----~

Ford and Stan had learned how Wendy lost her friends to the Bats, and how everyone in the town was either captured, hiding, or eaten by the monsters. Bill had built the giant pyramid, naming it the "Fearamid" and invited his friends to a party inside. Ford was clenching his teeth in disgust, hatred oozing from every inch on his body.

Stan is looking down, and everything is quiet. Wendy looks depressed, holding an arrow over a makeshift fire-place, with a bat impaled on it. "...They have to be somewhere."

"Where _can_  they be?"

"...I don't know." The broken look on Stan's face is heart-wrenching, and Ford looks down.

"...Maybe they got out of the town? Maybe they're not even in Gravity Falls?"

Wendy looks up at that.

Stan does too.

~----~

The trio quickly move all around the town, evading monsters and snagging any supplies they can scavenge. Ford manages to find Soos, the repairman traveling with Pacifica and Gideon, the two children clearly scared by the events that transpired. Stan can't bring himself to scowl at the fraud psychic, instead turning away and keeps searching.

It's when they're all past the town boundaries does it happen. The Fearamid begins to flash a light blue, the glow brightening and dimming slowly, then rapidly. Ford feels his heart jump into his throat, and his instincts force his legs to bolt.

 "Run!" Stan whips his head around, eyes wide, even as everyone else heads toward the deeper part of the forest.

"WHAT ABOUT-"

"I SAID RUN!" Ford grabs his shirt, dragging him by the fabric as he sprints, the shadows of trees signaling the light getting brighter. They barely manage to make it past the trees before a white light swallows the entire circumference of the town and inner forest. Everyone is blown back. Trees are ripped from their roots.

Stan hits the ground with a thud, yet the pain in his side doesn't even faze him. He sits up, his screaming not even being heard past the rattling white noise in his eardrums. He keeps screaming even as the light fades.

Even as the ringing stops. Even as Ford is grabbing him and dragging him away, tears pouring down his own face, sobs lacing the wails of agony his twin is unleashing.

Gravity Falls was gone. A crater stood in it's place.


	2. The Start

That was months ago. 

Time seemed to not move in this state of perpetual weirdness; Ford never felt aged, the sun never fully set, and clocks were dead still. The world never stood a chance. Even when the nations had combined forces in a last-ditch effort to fight back, none of their weapons could even scratch the triangular god that faced them. He took great delight in their deaths. 

Humanity itself fell in just a few short days.

After that, it was utter hell. Towns and cities were burned to the ground, the people residing in them either brutally slaughtered or driven to insanity via madness bubbles. Soon people retreated farther into the wilderness, learning to stay away from the remnants of society. Resistance forces would pop up, taking in recruits, gaining weapons and supplies, and finally obtaining the faintest glimmer of hope...Only to have it ripped away. Bill would send his henchman. A simple wave of his claws and he brutally destroyed any troop that defied him. Most were killed in horrid ways, while others had their minds and sanity torn to shreds and then re-shaped; so they swear loyalty to Bill. 

The only reason why Ford stayed alive was because he never made his presence known. He only kept doing what he had done the day he lost his great niece and nephew. 

He ran. 

~----~ 

Stan slowly opened his eyes, the dim light of his tent greeting him. He grumbles, rubbing the crust from his eyelids, sniffing a bit as he sits up in his sleeping bag. He yawns quietly, stretching before slipping on a pair of washed pants and crawling out. Voices yelling is what graces his ears, probably getting breakfast going, and he stands, looking around. 

They were inside a large cavern, stalactites hanging from the ceiling, glistening a light bluish black from the blazing sunset outside, a few holes above ground allowing light and oxygen to get inside. Other tents were pitched, scattered around the cave, and a few residents were already up, some working on washing clothes in a nearby underground stream, others collecting meat they had gathered for breakfast, making fires using either lighters or rubbing two sticks together. 

Stan sees Ford among the latter group, glasses cracked even more and trench coat having more patches, as well as limbs having bandages wrapped around them. He's leaning over a pile of sticks, Soos sitting next to him, and is watching intently. Stan can't help but grin slightly. The repairman was always eager to help in any way he could, and Ford was happy to teach him. 

Wendy was washing her flannel shirt, wearing a white tank-top underneath. Washing was usually a task that she wanted to get done early so the clothes could dry faster, and, while light in the caverns was limited, anyone could always just lay wet clothes on rocks to dry. Pacifica was content with wearing her dress of rags for now, as was helping with gathering sticks for the fires. 

Stan walks over to Ford, waving at Soos and watching. "Hey there Point-Dexter."  
Ford glances up, smiling gently. "Good Morning. Have a nice sleep?" 

"Yeah, guess I slept pretty good. Like a rock actually." 

"That's good." 

"yeah." There was an awkward pause before Ford managed to get a spark from the friction of the two sticks, and soon, a tiny flame was made. "There. Get it now, Soos?" The repairman nodded, looking like he was concentrating. "Yeah. Thanks Mr. Ford."  
"Anytime." Ford stood, and grinned at his twin. "Didn't have any incidents. No monsters came close and no active sign of sickness. Though supplies like first-aid kits and pain relievers are running a bit low. We may need to head out soon."  
Stan nods, though a small sigh escapes his lips. "Alright. Should you assemble the party or should I?"

"Probably you. I need to go and check on the food we have in stock." 

"Alright. Let me know if we need to grab anything else while we're out there." 

"Can do." Ford quickly walks off, hopping over a small wall that cuts the cavern off. Stan cracks his knuckles, taking a deep breath and cupping his hands around his mouth. "Attention! We are preparing a Scavenge! Anyone that is not sick, injured, or tired will be able to attend if they choose to." All the people outside look up, and soon, a small group is formed: Wendy, Pacifica, and Sheriff Blubs. Stan smiles, knowing the trio were solid members, even if the blonde complained a lot, and didn't argue about them wanting to join him. 

Soon, the group had grabbed their weapons and Ford was back; there was no need to stock up on food but it wouldn't hurt to nab any if they saw it. The group soon exited the caverns and climbed up to the cave entrance, the blood red light casting a ghastly shadow over all of them, and the faint rumblings of beasts could be heard. Stan takes a deep breath. 

Time to head out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update! Because I can! And because I have my motivation!


	3. The Scavenge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update! Please leave a comment!

The air became thick with the smell of fire and iron, the trees around the entrance either barely standing or smashed to wood chips. Large shadows loomed in the distance, about 3 kilometers away, and Stan grimaced slightly. He never liked Scavenging that much; going up here meant a near sure-fire way of getting themselves killed. But he begrudgingly knew it was necessary to aid in their survival.

Wendy quickly looks around, seeing no immediate threat, and proceeds to walk fully out of the cave, the others following suit, weapons at the ready. Ford had his gun swallowed by a weird blob, so he uses his electric gloves. Stan wields a baseball bat, silver, slightly dented, but still in good use. Wendy has her axe and crossbow, while Pacifica has a bow and arrow. Blubs is clutching a crowbar, looking around slightly shakily.

They dart from tree to tree, eyes peeled for any sort of beast, and slowly make it to the edge of the forest, seeing a few wrecked towns in the distance, no creatures in any of them; there probably was nothing left for them to destroy. Ford points to the nearest one and nods.

"Let's see about that one first."

"You got it."

~----~

Small fires are scattered through the area, desperately searching for anything to set alight, while broken glass, bricks, and cars line the roads, spattered with suspicious red stains on them. Stan tries not to think about what happened here. About how many people had died fleeing for their lives. He grits his teeth in mild anger, which doesn't go un-noticed by his twin, who gives him a small pat on the back.

"Alright everyone. I know it's a risk, but splitting should allow us to cover more ground. But, we all make sure everyone is within sight of each other. Alright?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Can do!"

"Fine."

The trio all quickly head into separate buildings, and Ford relaxes slightly. "...You doing ok, Stanley?" Stan stiffens slightly, and nods.

"I'm doing just fine. Why?"

"..I know going up here is hard for you. So I'm glad you did. Maybe you're getting better?"

"...No. I never will be better, Sixer. I know that for a fact."

Ford winces as Stan breaks away and starts climbing through a broken window into a shop, and follows. "Stan, it wasn't your fault-"  

"Yes it was. I could've saved them before that triangle bastard blew the town to hell. I had to. _Had to._ And I didn't."

 Ford looks down slightly, and shuffles from foot to foot. "...I'm sorry..."

 "...I let them die. I let Mabel die, I let Dipper die! _Dipper_! He was blind, Ford! A scared, defenseless blind nephew and I couldn't find him!"

 

Stan yells, clenching his bat with a grip of iron, eyes squeezed shut in pain, and Ford stares, wary of his instability.

...But Stan slumps, and even though time doesn't move anymore, he looks like all what he'd been through was catching up to him. He didn't look like a brawny, snippy, man that punched a pterodactyl in the face. Didn't look like someone who fought the undead with nothing but brass knuckles. Didn't look like a criminal mastermind that could outsmart government agents.

 

No, Stan looked like an old man. An old man who had watched everything he cared about die in a blazing blue inferno. Someone who had lost everything...and had nothing left. Tears were staining his cheeks, shoulders shaking with silent sobs, and Ford quickly wraps him up in a hug. It was the only thing he could think to do.

 

Stan hugged back.

 

~----~

It isn't long before the Twins are back to Scavenging, and though Wendy holds a knowing look in her eyes, she doesn't say a word. Blubs managed to find a few rolls of gauze and duct tape. Pacifica found a half-used bottle of disinfectant and a jar of ibuprofen. Wendy didn't find a thing, likewise for Stan, but Ford knew that was to be expected; an apocalypse isn't going to be abundant in supplies. He grins, gathering all the items up to place in a bag made out of stitched-up cloth.

"Good work, everyone. Let's head in deeper to see what's-"

 

A piercing yowl fills the air, and everyone's heads snap toward the source of the sound, seeing a large cat-like beast standing on the roof of an apartment building. It's fur was a light lilac purple, though large chunks were missing from the flesh, and it's fangs gleamed white as the creature hisses in rage. One eye was glassy, listless, a dead black, while other glowed red. It's tail was hanging by a thread off of it's flank, and bits of bone and muscle were visible thanks to skin having been torn off.

The beasts right paw was completely gone, the only thing left being the bone that once was covered by tendons. It looked like it was undead, and that very well could've been true. The beast howled again, and two others of it's kind joined it. And a third. And a fourth. And a fifth.

 

"Devil-Sabers! A pack of them!" Ford grits his teeth, raising his weapons, as do the others. There is a short stalemate before the fifth Saber wriggles it's hips impatiently, pouncing right at Blubs. The man growls, swinging his crowbar and cracking the cat in the jaw, sending it flying to the ground in a dazed heap.

The other Devil-Sabers rush. So does the group. It's a whirlwind of teeth and claws and shrieks of pain. Wendy cuts off the paw of one cat. Blubs gets scratched across the arm, leaving a violent bloody gash.

 

Ford gets knocked to the ground, head slamming into the pavement, and his vision swims for a moment. The cat dives for his neck, but he manages to grab it, holding it back by it's face while the beast roars and tears blindly with it's claws. A blast of electricity from Fords gloves seize through it's body, and it screams in agony.

The cat soon goes limp, and the man throws it off in disgust. He struggles to his feet, seeing Stan smashing another Saber's skull into the pavement, dark grey blood spurting all over the ground like a hose. Pacifica is lodging arrows into another's joints, so it can't attack, leaving it to howl before Wendy hacks the head off. Blubs is using a sharp shard of glass he found to plunge it into the heart of the third. The fourth and fifth Devil-Saber are backing off, now more wary of the prey since they managed to fight back.

 

Their remaining eyes suddenly light up blue, and their ears perk, faces being washed of anger and replaced with blank expressions. The cats immediately turn and trot away, almost like they were docile house cats and not mangy hell-beasts. Ford stares in astonishment. This has never happened before; those cats are known to fight till the bitter end, until the prey was either eaten or they all were dead. So why did they run off?

 

His musings are stopped by Blubs speaking up, wincing. "Hey, Doc? I'm bleeding a bit."

Ford turns and sees the gash, the skin split from the upper shoulder to the lower elbow. The actual cut was thin, barely slicing muscle, but was bleeding freely. Ford winces a bit and bites his lip.

"Ok. Doesn't look too bad, though you're losing a bit of blood." The man digs through the rag-bag and pulls out the gauze and disinfectant.

"Stretch out your arm, please." Blubs shakily does so, flinching from the pain, and Ford reaches out, pinching the artery, before, with his other hand swabbing the cut with disinfectant. The sheriff curses under his breath, his other hand clenched into a fist, even as Ford wraps up the wound with gauze.

"There. That should do it. If it bleeds through, tell me and I'll replace it with another. Anyone else injured?"

 

Everyone shakes their heads and Ford sighs in relief. "That's good. Now, I don't think it's safe to Scavenge anymore. Let's head back."

 

~----~

 

The Devil-Sabers trot thoughtlessly up to their Master, a good distance away from the town, and don't even react to the other beasts that stomp around. They slink low to the ground, ears pulled back and curl up at armored feet.

A hand, clad in light red metal, fingers tipped with claws, pets the cats gently. "So, you found them. That's good. Master Cipher has been waiting for them to re-appear for a long time."

The voice is distorted, echoing from a grizzly helmet. Two glowing eyes peek out from the openings. "..Finally. The hunt shall begin."


	4. The Encounter

A few days had passed, and so far there were no incidents to speak of; Stan had made a few more safety precautions, no one was sick, and supplies remained steady. 

Ford was sitting in his own tent, deciding to make an entry in the 3rd Journal about the Devil-Sabers. He sometimes finds it odd how he doesn't feel an urge to destroy them; they did inadvertently cause Weirdmageddon to happen. But he could never bring himself to do it. He uses one of his pencils to carefully sketch out the ferocious beasts, doing his best to make it look as intimidating as possible, trying to remember every grizzly detail. 

After that, he bites his lip in thought before finishing off the sketch and starting to write slightly off to the side of the sketch.

_'The Devil-Saber is one of the many beasts that Bill had unleashed onto the world upon Weirdmageddon. It's obviously feline in anatomy, and seems to be loosely based off the jaguar or cheetah; judging by the spots that dot it's purple fur. These creatures are odd in the aspect that they seem to be undead. Most have bits and pieces of flesh rotting on their bodies or missing entirely. Yet they can be killed in any way, not just by destroying the brain.'_

Ford pauses, remembering the odd sight of glowing blue eyes. 

_'Though they appear to have a pride-like structure, recent observations have hinted at the possibility of a Hivemind. Do not know if this theory is true at this point in time.'_

Ford sighs, drumming his fingers against the ground in thought. What had happened had confused him greatly, considering that those cats were  _not_ known to just run off from a fight. But at the same time, trying to find out how they worked was pure suicide. The man growls to himself, closes the book and stores it away, climbing into his sleeping-bag, sleep quickly taking him. 

 

~----~ 

 

"Grenda, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Of course I am! You said you wanted to help out Mr. Pines right?"

"..Yeah.."

"So that's what we're doing!"

A small girl with black hair shifts from foot to foot, nervously looking around as a larger figure hoists themselves over the blockade, reaching out a hand for the other to take. "C'mon Candy! We'll be fine; the settlement is nearby, Toby is coming with us, and we're just looking for medicine." 

The aforementioned adult squeaks in an undignified fashion as Grenda pulls him to the other side, carrying a small dagger in one pale hand. Grenda has brass knuckles; given to her by Stan, and Candy has a lead pipe. Soon all three of them were over the wall, and began to head toward, not the front entrance, but a secret back opening Grenda had stumbled on while looking out for intruders. 

She had the idea to head out of that opening and see if the buildings nearby had any medical supplies, and of course, not telling Stan as a surprise. At first, Candy had disagreed, but her childhood friend managed to persuade her to go along with the plan; but only if they were accompanied by an adult...And the only one who wouldn't tattle was...Toby Determined. 

The three soon spot a small hole lining one of the deeper parts of the cavern, and one by one they all climb out. The wind is hot and carries with it the scent of destruction, making all of them shudder in mild fright. The caverns themselves were rather chilly, so the heat soothed them slightly. Candy adjusts her glasses, eyes darting around. 

"Wh-Which way now?" 

"Umm...There!" 

Grenda shouts, pointing off into the distance to a few buildings, looking to be about a mile away. Candy clutches tighter onto her pipe, while Toby whimpers pathetically. 

~----~ 

 

Soon, the trio had carefully made their way down, bolting behind trees if so much as a pebble shifted. Grenda keeps them moving however, and they end up reaching the buildings, which turn out to be old pit-stops for cars and trucks. Candy furrows her brow. "You sure there could be medicine in there?"

"You never know if you don't look." Grenda looks determined, and the other girl bites her lip in apprehension, meanwhile Toby is already climbing inside and looking around. Eventually, after busting open a few rusted-up safes, they manage to find a singular pill bottle. Grenda isn't really satisfied, but there isn't much she can really do about it, so, she sighs.

"Alright. How 'bout we head back since there's nothing here?"

"Sounds good to me."

"And me."

Candy sighs in relief, feeling her chest, which was tight with mild nervousness, slacken, allowing her to breath easier. They lower their weapons, walking out of the slight cover from the pit-stop.

And all hell broke loose.

There was a flash of purple fur, and Toby fell to the ground, a Devil-Saber pinning him and ripping into his shoulder, blood spattering the asphalt, the man screaming in pain. Grenda barely moves before another undead cat pounces on her, it's rancid breath wafting over her ear as it digs it's claws into her back and legs, pinning her in place, not budging no matter how much she struggles. In the corner of her vision, she sees Candy pinned in much the same way, writhing and kicking in vain.

She barely hears the sound of metal boots clicking on the ground until a shadow falls over her. Grenda looks up to see an armored figure looming above her. It's tinted a blood red, the metal looking thick and sturdy. Spikes line the sides of the arms, and the hands end in long, curved claws. The legs are spiked on the front, and hooked around the hip and right shoulder is a strap. It has odd spheres hooked on them, filled with an unknown substance, as well as a long sheathe that hangs from the waist. On it's chest is a illustration of a serrated mouth, baring it's teeth in anger, a forked tongue lolling out one side. The back of the hands have two triangles on them, with one large eye.  

 

But the most threatening feature was the face. It had two openings and all Grenda could see was two blazing eyes, the scelra glowing a deep pink, almost red, and the pupil was slitted and black. They were staring at her with a cold, malicious look, and she could've sworn that it was smirking behind the visor.

 

"Well, Well. Didn't expect to find any of Ford's group so easily. Then again, you don't seem to be the smartest." It's voice is distorted heavily, giving no hint as to wether the person is male or female, and Grenda grits her teeth.

 

"Kinda dirty to ambush us like that! If you want a real fight, you do it one on one! You're lucky my arms aren't free, otherwise I'd crush your skull like an egg!" There's a moment of silence, and then the figure laughs. It's a chilling, loud sound, rattling in Grenda's skull and making her bones ache. Soon, the person leans down, grabbing her by the hair, yanking up her head, forcing her to watch as the other hand slowly pulls the sword from it's sheathe.

 

The blade is sharp, a dark magenta, the metal shining in the permanent sunset blazing in the sky. Grenda gasps as the sword bursts into flame, white-hot fire coating it's sides, making the figure look even more hellish thanks to the shadows cast over it's armor. Grenda tries not to flinch as the tip of the blade comes within inches of her cheek, though her body is trembling slightly with fear. She can feel the heat pour from the weapon in waves, making her break out into a mild sweat. How much would it hurt to have that slicing into flesh?

 

The figure chuckles smoothly, turning to Toby, who was whimpering in pain at his torn shoulder. "..He is of no use to me. You two on the other hand..." Their words trail off, and the two girls scream as the sword is plunged into the man's skull, bone, blood, and brain matter immediately spurting everywhere messily, the rancid smell of cooking flesh and fat emanating from the gore-soaked blade, the flames eagerly burning up any substance on it. The Devil-Saber immediately begins tearing into the corpse, spilling out more blood, and the sight makes Candy gag, almost retching. The two are sobbing now, in horror at what had transpired in front of them, and the figure just huffs.

 

"Oh please. You've seen death before. It's all around you, and yet you're blubbering like sad babies." They sigh, dropping the sword, making a nearby blood puddle immediately steam and bubble, and approaches them. The figure grabs two of the spheres in each hand, crushing the glass. A thick, powdery substance pours out between mettalic fingers and before the girls have time to scream, the substance is flung into their faces.

 

Any words Grenda tried to shout immediately died in her throat, body all of a sudden feeling sluggish and mind growing fuzzy. The powder coats her face, making the dizziness even worse, feeling her eyes start to droop. Soon, they both are fully unconscious.

 

~----~

 

Ford finds Toby's body a few hours later.

Or what was left of it.

The man tries not to vomit at the gruesome sight. In the middle of the clearing was a pile of bones, all stripped clean of tendons or ligaments, and swarms of flies were buzzing around them, attracted by the stench of death. Right below the pile, were words. They were written messily in blood.

' _GREETINGS. YOU'LL DEFINITELY BE SEEING MORE FROM ME. YOU CAN CALL ME "KNIGHT".'_

At the very end of the message, there is a small drawing of a triangle with an eye in the middle.


	5. The Loss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so this chapter will be INTENSE. Considering it involves the torture and death of 12 year-old girls.
> 
> But hey! We see Bill!
> 
> ...PLEASE COMMENT!!

Grenda slowly comes to, body aching and sluggish, head feeling like it's been hit with a hammer, skull pounding from the odd powder that knocked her out. She feels rather disoriented, and the headache she has only worsens as her eyes slowly flutter open. 

Her body is wrapped in chains, a glowing pale blue, and her stomach lurches when she realizes her body is suspended in the air, arms and legs immobile. She groans in discomfort, shaking her head in an attempt to ward off the headache, and sees in the corner of her vision Candy, who's in the same position, glasses off, and still asleep. 

They appear to be hanging in front of a large window, the style of the glass looking like one's she had seen in churches, except it showcased a bright red eye. The room is large, intimidating, and, out of impulse, Grenda looks down. 

Her eyes shrink, and she nearly starts sobbing then and there.

Almost all the townspeople were stacked on top of each other, turned to stone, expressions that of horror and agony. They seemed to make up a morbid sort of chair, like some kind of fucked up joke, and Grenda swallows thickly, starting to feel scared. 

"Well, well! Guess who finally decided to wake up!!" 

Grenda yelps as as a white eye darts in front of her face out of nowhere, body instinctively jerking, making the chains rattle. Bill floats in front of her, amusement glittering in that singular pupil of his, his triangular shape giving off a sickly gold glow, casting shadows across his throne and making it look even more ghastly than before. 

"I have to admit, it's impressive that you survived this long! Seeing as how you decided to stupidly go out on your own without any protection! But, on the flip-side, I'm glad you did that. Made it easier to find out Sixer's location!" He chortles in glee, making Grenda glare in rage. 

"Shut it you stupid triangular jerk! There's no way you can find our base!!" 

 Bill just smirks, poking out a claw and roughly jabbing the girl in the stomach. "Oh trust me, I know how Fordsy works. I  _know_ that you guys never stay in one place, unlike a other couple hundred rebel bases." 

She flinches at the poke, and her eyes widen at his words. "Wha-? How do you-?!" 

"They don't call me the All-Seeing Eye for nothing! But the problem is, I'm not certain exactly where your little group will run off to....But I know that Ford makes you memorize _each and every possible location._ " 

Grenda pales hard, and from behind Bill, she sees the lone figure that had captured them, blazing eyes glittering with amusement. Candy finally seems to stir, eyes scrunching up before slowly opening, blinking a few times as she can't really see without her glasses. 

"..G-Grenda? You there?" 

"..Yeah. I'm here." 

Bill just laughs, letting the figure climb onto his hand and bringing them up to Grenda's level. They seem to grin behind the mask, which only makes the girl glare. 

"We'll never tell you anything. No matter what. We're not selling out our friends." 

The Knight just laughs, before forcefully grabbing her jaw, making her wince. The metal was awfully cold, and had a weird almost slimy texture to it. The sharp fingertips dug slightly into her cheeks, almost piercing the skin. 

"Trust me. We have ways of making you rebels  _talk_." The Knight suddenly rips away their hand, slicing through the skin easily, making Grenda hiss through her teeth as blood dribbles down her cheeks. Bill rubs his hands together eagerly. 

"Ok, what should we do first? Electric blasts? Red-hot rods pushed into their mouths? Cutting off the ears?" 

"Heheheh. Fun, but no. We need them to talk remember? And healing the wounds would just make them clam up again."

"Very true. Hmmm...Oh! How about we flay the skin first? Just rip it off their arms and legs!"

Grenda starts to feel sick as she listens, unable to cover her ears. The gruesome methods of torture seemed even more disturbing because they were talking about it so eagerly; it's like they were deciding on a video game to play, not morbidly tearing away flesh. She glances over at Candy, who was starting to look really scared, pupils small, body shaking. 

It sends harsh pangs of pity and regret through Grenda's heart. If she hadn't been so stupid this never would have happened. She just wishes she could get her best friend out of here so she didn't have to suffer because of  _her_ dumb mistake. She feels the regret grow into slight fear as she realizes Bill and the Knight have stopped talking, the latter holding up a small knife.

She starts struggling wildly as the blade gets closer and closer, heart pounding in her chest as the chains rattle loudly, unyielding in their grip. When the cold metal digs into her skin, she grits her teeth, trying not to scream in pain as blood wells from the incision, the skin slowly getting peeled. 

Candy screams, thrashing in her chains, tears pouring down her face. "Leave her alone! LEAVE HER ALONE!!" Bill just huffs, drifting over to the other girl, and starting to sink a claw into her skin, peeling it away as well. 

Grenda starts to sob as the two vile beasts keep on peeling, blood starting to drip down onto the stone throne, bits of flesh and muscle following suit in large chunks. Soon, a large amount of the skin on her arms are gone, and her eyes grow glassy, her body going into shock. 

Bill squawks in surprise. "Whoops! Forgot that humans aren't durable! Let's fix that." 

He snaps his fingers and a wave of energy blasts through their bodies, jolting their hearts and lungs into working again. Candy sobs, the pain growing too much, body shaking, and the Knight giggles sickeningly. 

"Awww. Does it hurt? What am I saying, of course it does!" 

The Knight grabs Candy's chin, angling it up so she stares into those cold eyes. The girl whimpers in fright, making Grenda snarl despite the pain. 

"..L-..Let go of her!" 

The Knight ignores her, instead sinking their claws into Candy's cheeks, drawing even more blood. 

"Listen to me. Tell us all the possible locations, and the pain will end." 

"..I-..It's spread out...C-Closest one is-" 

"No! Candy, you can't!!" 

"SHUT UP!!" 

The Knight growls, and Bill promptly slices off another chunk of muscle, making Grenda scream in agony. Candy yelps as the armored figure digs in harder. 

"Tell. Me.  _Now_." 

"I-It's in New Mexico!" 

Grenda's jaw drops, horror growing in her gaze, and Bill laughs, maniacal. 

"Thank you for the assistance, kids! Well, now we have no use for you!" 

He snaps his fingers, and before Candy has a chance to scream, the Knight pulls out their sword, the flaming metal sinking into her chest with a violent tearing sound, and Grenda wails in terror, tears pouring from her eyes. 

...She never got to tell her...

The girl barely hears the sound of her friends blood and flesh sizzling from the fire. Barely sees the sword being yanked out of the corpse's chest. All she can do is sob. 

And she barely reacts when the sword, still red with her best friend's blood, plunges through her heart.


	6. The Migration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update! Sorry for the wait, my motivation often takes nosedives. That and I don't know if people are actually reading or not.

Ford quickly runs as fast as his legs can carry him, terror running through his veins like blood, heart pounding on his chest harder than ever before.

Three people. He lost three people in one night. And if this "Knight" hadn't killed the children, they're probably interrogating them. He nearly retches at the vile thought of those poor kids being tortured by that triangular nightmare. He's lost people before, but never so many so quick, and it worried him greatly. 

Stan looks up quickly when he sees Ford jumping over the barrier, and can't help but feel his chest tighten knowingly when he sees the pale, terrified look on his brothers face. He doesn't even need to see a signal before he stands and shouts. 

"BASE MEETING!! BASE MEETING!! EVERYONE, STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND COME TO THE CENTER OF THE CAMP!" 

Everyone immediately follows the instructions, having noticed the absence of three people, most of them having grim-looking faces, assuming the worst had happened. Soon, Ford takes a deep breath, starting to pace as the base watches, the silence thick with apprehension. 

"..I know you're all wondering what I found when I searched for the trio that went missing last night....I regret to say that Toby Determined was found dead right outside a nearby pit-stop. Candy Chiu and Grenda was nowhere to be found." 

The crowd is silent, some taking off their hats in respect for the dead, and Pacifica was seen wiping away a tear; she had grown to be great friends with the two girls, comforting one another about the death of Mabel. Ford feels his chest tighten. 

"...Those two may not be dead. They probably were taken captive. But we all know if that happens, you won't be living for very long. Everyone, since our base has been virtually exposed, we must get going. We shall head south when you are all ready. Please pack your belongings and make sure to follow protocol to stay safe." 

It was like a recording at this point; he had said those words so many times he had lost count. Although he was saddened over the potential deaths of those girls, he can't help but feel empty as he watched the crowd disperse, their eyes shining with tears and hopelessness. He doesn't realize Stan was near him until he felt the man gently coax him to his tent. 

"Come on, nerd. Let's pack up, ok?" 

 ~----~

Soon, all the people shuffle out of the caverns, faces grim and tight with worry. Children cling to each other as they hear the distant roaring of beasts, and the teenagers all hold weapons, circling around the elderly and young protectively. 

Ford leads the way, Stan at his side, looking determined, and each of them lugging supplies on their backs. The group heads down south, marching through trees and climbing over rocks, but no one ever let's down their guard for a second. 

Gideon manages roll-call every time they stop to rest, diligently making sure there is no one missing. The little munchkin was quite a handful in the past, especially for Stan, but thankfully, he decided to form a truce with the Twins and is now their second-in-command, taking the job quite seriously. 

Pacifca handles the food distribution, giving out the exact same amount for each person, making sure it's fair. And if anyone complains, she quickly scolds them, having quite the mouth, effectively shutting anyone up. Wendy acts as one of the scouts, patrolling the area and keeping her eyes peeled for any beast that might draw near. 

Stan often gives fighting techniques to those that are healthy enough, and though he can be rather strict, he never pushes the trainees too far. 

~---~ 

After a few days, they end up reaching a way-point; a small mountain that's riddled with many caves and ledges, providing both safety and a place to rest. Ford and Stan quickly set up camp, and soon people are going about their buisness; cooking food or standing guard. 

Ford sighs, sitting back against one of the stone walls, body aching from such a long trek. The cold rock helped sooth the heated skin a bit, and he found his breathing to be evening out slowly. Stan seemed to be just fine, with the way he was helping Wendy fix or sharpen their weapons. The older twin watches for a second, before yawning. The stones felt surprisingly comfy, and he was dead-tired. 

...He suppose it wouldn't hurt to rest for a bit...

~----~ 

"Arin Felps!" 

"Here!" 

"Sarah Kelly!" 

"I'm right here!" 

Gideon stops for a second to wipe his forehead, feeling that his skin was slick with sweat from the climb up. The roll call was going good so far, everyone who had their name called immediately responded back, which was good; they hadn't lost anyone.

During the last few months, it had been a struggle to keep everyone together, and more often than not, like with those girls, a few would end up getting themselves killed. He can't help but admit that he feels like it was their own damn fault, which troubles him a bit; he had hoped that the stupid "angry at the world" side of himself had kicked the bucket, but it clearly hasnt. Whatever. Best not to dwell on that. 

"Julie Quinn!" 

Silence. 

Gideon feels his heart jump. 

"Julie Quinn! Are you there?" 

...No answer. 

Gideon quickly checks the stats that came with the names, and his blood goes cold. 

Julie Quinn, a 6 year-old girl, was missing.


	7. The Hunt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. Sorry for the wait. 
> 
> Oh, and this fic may not be as long as I first thought. I get really impatient with things and just skip what I consider to be filler.

It had been almost too easy to lure the girl away. 

The Knight almost was amused by how easily tricked the younglings were; always believing what was right in front of their eyes, never once considering trickery or illusion. It was almost cute. 

Almost. 

The little girl, tiny with matted black hair had been trailing along near the back, clutching the dress of rags her presumed mother wore. Her limbs moved stiffly, obviously malnourished despite Fords best attempts at keeping his people well-fed and healthy. It was kind of pathetic. So much for being "humanity's last hope." 

All the Knight had to do was give off an illusion of a multi-colored butterfly, and the girl followed it like it was a chance at a meal.

The trap was set. Perfectly according to plan. 

~----~ 

Gideon is running as fast as his stumpy limbs can carry him, eyes wide with panic, southern curses falling from his mouth like a waterfall. A lone little girl, lost in a mountain! This has been his worst slip-up yet, and if he doesn't get help, it could cost Julie Quinn her life. This group is  _not_ about to start dropping like flies after successfully running away from that bastard triangle for so long! 

Stan, who had been instructing Pacifica about this day's rations, looks up in bewilderment at the fraud-psychic's screaming, though fear stabs through his chest like a knife when he sees the roll-call chart grasped tightly in his meaty fist. "Someone missing?" 

Gideon skids to a halt in front of him, gasping for breath, cheeks pink with exertion. "J-Julie Quinn! 6-6 year-old girl!" 

Stan curses, pinching bridge of his nose, clearly aggravated. He jabs the fraud-psychic in the chest with a finger, barking out orders. "Get a patrol and go find her as fast as you can! We cannot let Ford know!" 

"You think I don't know that, old man?! The problem is, no one is in shape to go! Why?! Because we just spent the last few days  _climbing a mountain_!" 

"Then I'll go! And you're tagging along with me; it was your responsibility to make sure no one got lost in the first place." 

Gideon's eyes widen, but he takes a breath and nods, almost begrudgingly. "Alright." 

~----~ 

Even the never-ending summer did nothing to quell the intense chill found in the mountain's rocky structure, the desolate grey found in the area seemed to cast an almost gloomy feeling in the air. Stan tries not to dwell on the feeling, knowing it would send him into another breakdown. 

Those were common for him; moments where all the things that had happened crashing down onto his mind and nearly causing his sanity to shatter like glass. That one day when he lost everything he cared about. 

He lost his niece and nephew. 

Mabel was the sweetest thing he had ever seen; always laughing and smiling, no matter what, she always found a good side to everything. He remembers playing card games and how her voice would sound mischievously smug whenever she admitted to cheating. 

Dipper was the opposite; analytical, intelligent, and nervous. Stan remembers how the kid had a death grip on his cane when he first stepped into the Shack, Mabel at his side, calmly helping him move along. He was always fascinated with mysteries; Mabel would always read books to him throughout particularly lazy days, and the boy would get so excited whenever a plot twist was revealed. 

Dipper had the oddest eyes; unlike most blind people, his eyes were not clouded over. If he didn't have his glasses or cane, people wouldn't be able to tell that he couldn't see. They were a light blue, almost teal in color. 

The fact that Dipper was blind seemed to have strengthened the bond the two shared; Mabel would always hold his hand when in public areas, as his senses could easily be overwhelmed. Whenever one was upset, the other always came in to cheer them up. It always warmed Stan's heart to see those two laughing and having fun. 

....And now they're gone. 

Stan quickly shakes his head, gritting his teeth despite the lump he feels in his throat. Dammit, he can't cry, he can't cry now. Not now. Don't think about it, don't do it. Stop. 

He angrily rubs at a few tears that manage to spill through, hoping to God that Gideon didn't notice. Pity from an old enemy is the last thing he needs. Only Ford, his brother, can see him like this. No one else. He wouldn't be able to take it otherwise. 

~----~ 

Ford slowly wakes up, back aching from sleeping on such a hard surface. He yawns, stretching slightly as he stands up, bones popping. Most of the base has received their rations and are now asleep at this point, making the old man feel slightly more at ease. 

That meant no one was sneaking out. No one was getting killed. At least not for now. 

Ford rubs his eyes, dragging his feet over to the pile of supplies, hoping to find something to eat, feeling his stomach rumble. 

Thats when he hears it. The faintest noise drifting along the wind. If it wasn't for the cavern walls, he never would've been able to hear it. 

"....Help!"

Fords head jerks up, heart stopping in his chest, the single word managing to send an arc of disbelief and desperate hope surging through his body. 

"..Mabel?!" 

His feet suddenly start running in the direction of the sound, mind practically blank as he tries to track the voice of his niece. Wendy, who was walking by carrying supplies for a fire, shrieks as she's nearly run over by the older Author, knocked to the ground. 

Ford just keeps on running, even when Wendy calls out in bewilderment. "Mr. Ford?! Where are you going?" 

He doesn't even stumble out an apology, sprinting in the general direction of the plea, causing Wendy to get up and chase after him, confused and worried. 

Ford stumbles over large boulders, hands getting pricked and cut by sharp rocks and pebbles, but he doesn't even wince, almost trance-like in his frenzy to locate Mabel. He needs to find her. He  _needs to find her._

Wendy chases the man all throughout the cavern, finally seeing a light from the outside come into view. Ford nearly cries from joy as the voice gets louder and louder, and redheads eyes widen in shock. Did she just hear...?

"MABEL?!" 

The two shout as they finally run out of the cavern, the sunlight momentarily blinding them, and through the light they see a shadow. Fords eyes are shining with tears, smiling wider than he has in a long time. 

Then the shadow laughs. It's voice is distorted and sickening to hear. 

Two blazing pink eyes shine through a red visor. 

"WRONG!"

A glass sphere smashes into Fords skull, pain splitting through his skin, a thick powder spilling onto his face, and suddenly his body feels like lead, knees buckling as he falls with a thud.  

A bit of the substance gets into his mouth. He recognizes the taste. 

Is that....glitter? 

Ford blacks out. 

~----~ 

the Knight cackles wildly in delight, filled with glee and slight hysteria at the sight of the two prophetic humans slumped on the dirt. 

That  _actually worked_! 

They giggle with glee, digging out a small device with a singular button on it. They snap their fingers, and both captives are suddenly suspended in colored bubbles, meant to keep them asleep until the rest of the targets are rounded up. The button was for...well...

The Knight smirks, gazing up at the mountain side. It was covered in magenta-colored cords of magic, winding and wrapping through the rocks like snakes. They crackle with pent-up energy. 

The Knight sighs fondly. "I always loved fireworks." They press the button. 

The magic explodes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering, the Knight drew the girl away then killed her. 
> 
> It was just a ploy to lure Stan away from Ford.


	8. The Capture

Stan doesn't know what happened; one moment he and Gideon were walking along a footprint-scarred trail, and the next, everything was crumbling under their feet, and he couldn't feel the ground anymore. 

He could faintly feel his body slamming into rocks as it tumbled down the quickly cracking mountainside. There's no way a bone wasn't broken at this point. He vaguely heard Gideon's high-pitched screaming over the massive dinn of falling boulders, indicating he wasn't instantly killed by whatever caused the avalanche. 

Red explodes in his vision, hearing a loud thump from when he cracked his head against solid granite, body following suit with a flop, before boulders barely avoid crushing him as the landslide jerks to a halt. 

Stan can't even speak, head swimming, agony pounding through his veins like blood, and his lungs strain for air underneath the rubble. 

This is it. 

This is how Stanley Pines dies. 

Buried under a fuck-ton of rocks, when he was perfectly willing to die for his brother. 

His eyes clench shut, heart jerking in his chest, both from emotional pain, and his body going into shock. 

The last thing he feels is hot tears pouring down his cheeks. 

~----~  

The Knight smirks in satisfaction, watching as the Eyeball Bats come closer to their location. They had called those monsters here to help carry all the targets back to Master Cipher. They smirk beneath the visor as they see a dot of hot pink admist the black leathery wings. As the cloud of death and destruction draws closer to the crumbling mountain, the Knight floats upward to meet it. 

"Hello Pyronica dearest. What brings you here?"

The she-demon smiles, plump lips curving to show wicked fangs, voice high-pitched, and has the faintest hint of a New York accent.

"Aw c'mon hun! I missed ya, and I wanted to help bring in the gang! Is that so bad?"

"Cipher won't be happy." 

The Knight grins despite saying that, turning to watch as the Bats begin shifting through the rubble, red ocular-beams searching for the targets heat signatures. Pyronica giggles, wrapping a flame-coated limb around their shoulder. 

"Maybe, but you know he can't stay mad at us. We're a crew. And you really think he'll be able to be mad when ya managed to do  _this_?"  

They shrug, though they know the answer to that. The Bats shriek as they begin to pluck out humans one by one. All of them bloodied, broken, and completely unconcious. They grin behind their armour, giddy with glee.

They already had Broken Heart; he was captured by the Bats and disposed of.

A few days after total domination of Earth, they had found Glasses. Killed too.

Now, what was left must be taken care of. 

The Ice Bag.

The Cresent.

The Question Mark. 

The Llama.

The Psychic Star.

The Six-fingered Hand. 

Shooting Star and Pine Tree?....There was no need to worry about them. 

Py's breaks through the Knight's thoughts. 

"You ready to party, sweetheart? Cuz' this one is gonna be wild." 

The armored figure watches as all of the gang is rounded up and bubbled, chains wrapping around them and linking the spheres together do they don't drift off. A singular chain acts as a handle, making the prisons look like party balloons.

The Knight grins, taking Py's hand in their own. 

"Definitely."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *starts to giggle* It's coming~


	9. The Reveal

Ford groans, head throbbing like a hammer was pounding against his skull. His eyes crack open slightly, vision swimming from that substance that knocked him out, his mind still a bit hazy. He barely is able to make out an obsidian brick floor, and a small magenta glow in his peripherals. 

He attempts to shift, but winces, feeling cold metal wrapped tightly around his wrists and ankles, almost enough to cut off the blood flow, restricting his movement. Ford, slightly more awake, lifts his head the slightest bit and looks around. 

An odd-looking room, criss-crossed with small slits of color, yet the entirety is almost all blackened. Doors lead into many hallways, almost labyrinth-like. And staring down at the old man was a chapel window, depicting one great eye with a slitted pupil. Ford's heart sunk with the realization. 

He had been captured. 

And now, he was Bill's prisoner. 

Then, in the corner of his eye, he sees a bit of movement. He quickly looks to his right, seeing an unconcious, bloodied Stan, and he feels utter relief wash over him. His brother was alright. 

"Stanley...Stanley? Can you hear me?" 

His voice was hoarse, cracking in some areas, piercing the otherwise silent room, and he smiles as he sees the man's face twitch. 

"..Gh..Wha..?" 

Stan's eyes flicker open, darting around to take in their surroundings, chains rattling as he sits up a bit from his laying position. 

"Stanley! Are you ok?" 

"We..We're not dead?" 

Stan looks bewildered, and turns his head to look at his brother. "What the hell happened back there?"

"I-I don't know! I woke up and-..." 

Ford cuts himself off, remembering the almost blind state he was in, and looks down. 

"..Ford. What happened?" 

"...I-...I thought I heard Mabel." 

"What?!" 

"..It was a trap. Wendy followed me right to it; I didn't even see who it was. All I saw were pink eyes then...a face-full of some powder that knocked me out." 

"..The mountain suddenly caved in around us. Probably cuz of whatever attacked you. Gideon was with me, but I'm not sure if he's still alive." 

"Dammit...He finally got us." 

"..Yeah...He sure did." 

Suddenly, the chapel window flashes yellow, becoming a living eye, blinking a few times before looking down at the two captives. It quirks up in a grin. 

"Well, Well! About time you old farts woke up! I've been waiting for hours!" 

With a burst of light, Bill Cipher pops up from thin air, lounging back in a morbid throne made from people that were now frozen as rocks. He holds a martini glass in one hand, swirling the purple liquid inside with an infuriatingly smug look. 

"I have to say, Fordsy, I'm impressed. There weren't any rebellion bases that managed to survive for long, much less run away." He pauses to take a sip of the drink, eyes momentarily morphing into lips. 

"But of course, thanks to my Knight of Chaos, that didn't last for very long, now did it?" 

The triangular god chuckles, lifting one hand off the armrest and snapping his claws. 

As if they had wrapped shadows around themself, the Knight steps forward, not even visible when they were standing in the dim lighting. It's magenta eyes were blazing with glee, curved up, no doubt grinning ear-to-ear behind the helmet. 

Ford growls, gritting his teeth in rage, and Stan stares warily at the two beasts. 

"You won't get away with this, Cipher!" 

"I believe I already have, Sixer. That, and even if you did escape, I've already killed 2 out of the main 10 threats to my reign! You wouldn't even be able to fulfill the prophecy!" 

Something in Ford's mind snapped, and he lurches forward with a roar of rage, not even caring that his skin threatens to split from how the chains tighten even harder. 

"DON'T YOU DARE MENTION THEM YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD!! YOU KILLED THEM!! YOU KILLED MY NIECE AND NEPHEW!!"

The whole room goes quiet, save for Ford's pained grunts as the chains yank him back to the floor,before staring at Bill's expression. 

The triangle looks honestly shocked, eye wide, having no trace of a grin on his face. The Knight looks similar from what is visible, pupils shrunk slightly. The two monsters slowly turn to look at each other. 

Then they burst out laughing. 

Bill guffaws, body shaking, eye clenched shut as the uproar continues, slamming a fist against the armrest, threatening to crack a few of the stone-people. The Knight is on the ground, clutching at their chest, laughter coming out grating due to the distortion of their voice.  

Both Ford and Stan watch in utter confusion. 

"Wh-What's so funny?!" 

Bill, gasping, waves an arm frantically toward the Knight. "Just-Just show them! I can't take it!" 

The twins watch, bewildered, as the Knight stands, stifling their laughter just enough to calm down, approaching the two prisoners. 

"Oh Ford.." 

They stop in front of him, eyes glinting with a strange joy. Their armour suddenly lights up, small grooves in the metal turning pink, before they hear a sound similar to a door unlocking. The Knight slowly reaches up and removes their helmet. 

Ford's heart almost stops. 

Chestnut brown hair falling down to the shoulders.

Rosy cheeks. 

And a wide, braces-filled smile. 

"Don't you recognize your own niece when you see her?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *laughs maniacally*
> 
> Oh, and guys. 
> 
> If you go back and look closer at the chapters, I may have scattered a few hints here and there that acted as clues for the twist. 
> 
> See if you can spot them and list them in the comments!


	10. The Party

Ford stares, body numb, heart almost frozen in his chest from the shock, mind in utter shambles. He was absolutely speechless. 

Mabel grinned wider, all the armor going alight in blue flame, slowly disintegrating to show off a bright yellow sweater, a singular eye on the middle, a fluffy black skirt with white knee-socks, and finally a black headband sporting a mini-top hat tilted to the right. She stretches, feeling her back pop, yawning. 

"Whew! You have no  _idea_ how hard it was to stay in that thing! It gets really hot, let me tell you!" 

She tugs at her sweater lightly, trying to air herself out, nonchalant about the two shell-shocked Grunkles in front of her. 

"..M-..M-...Mabel?" 

The girl simply grins lightly in response, trotting closer, a slight bounce in her step as she flutters her eyes innocently at Ford, asking a sugary-sweet "Yes?" 

"..You're alive? A-After all this time, you're alive?!" 

Ford was nearly breathless, both from relief, and absolute shock, completely forgetting about his bonds, and only managing to stare. Stan said nothing, eyes welling up with tears. 

Mabel scoffs a bit, rolling her eyes, though her grin never wavers. 

"Well, of course I'm alive! You really think Bill would just leave me for dead after all I've done for him? No way!" 

"What? M-Mabel, you can't be serious!" 

"Oh, I am. I'm quite serious. And you don't worry, I'll explain everything, we just need to get everything ready first!" 

She giggles, and Bill, who had been watching with great amusement at Ford's mind scrambling, grins widely. 

"That's right, Shooting Star! We still have to have the party!"

Ford, amidst all his relief, shock, and growing terror, he found a small bit of confusion, causing him to blurt out, "What party?" 

"Me and Dipper's 13th Birthday Party! Sure, the actual day was months ago, but.." 

The grin on Mabel's face, so much like the ones in his memories, suddenly twists into one far more sinister, braces suddenly gone, and her teeth pointed like a sharks. Her eyes carry the same bubbly joy, only this time, it held dark, murderous undertones. 

Ford finds himself frozen with fear as she steps right in front of him, reaching down to harshly grab his chin, nails digging into his cheeks, making him wince.

She forces him to stare into her eyes, making her uncle watch as the scleras glow a blazing pink, pupils turning into slits as she coos, "...there's no way I could leave you two out of it. You are my family after all. And besides, Dipper has been just  _dying_ to see you again." 

He feels a shudder go down his spine, eyes widening at both the action and her words. "..D-Dipper?" 

Bill giggles, setting down the martini on an arm rest, before his eye flashes blue, voice echoing throughout the room. 

"Piiiine Treeee~" 

There are a few moments of silence, before they all hear a simple tapping noise, coming from the left of Bill's throne.  

Ford feels a lump form in his throat when he sees him. 

Dipper, dressed in a fine-looking suit, walks calmly over to the throne, expression holding nothing but a light smile, and half-lidded eyes. He still holds the cane, but it's held loosely, as though he doesn't fear bumping into anything. His hand brushes the armrest of the throne, and the boy stops, and he sinks to the floor on one knee, head bowed almost reverently. 

"Yes, My Lord?" 

Both Grunkles stare, Stan feeling so many emotions he's been rendered silent, tears running down his face, while Ford looks mortified. 

Bill smirks at the boy, reaching down to comb his claws through his fluffy hair, smugness practically radiating off his triangular form as Dipper leans into the affectionate touch. 

"Pine Tree, we have a surprise for you." 

"Really? What is it?" 

Before Ford can even say anything, Mabel suddenly slams her foot down on his hand, nearly breaking his fingers, causing him to shout in pain. Stan, who had finally seemed to have snapped out of his daze, only manages to whisper, "..Dipper? W-...What're you doing?"

Upon hearing the two voices of his Grunkles, Dipper looks up, head turning in the general direction of the captives. His eyes are still that bright blue, and Ford dimly remembers why that color always seemed to have un-nerved him. 

They were the same color as Bill's blue flames. 

Dipper stares, before a wide grin stretches over his face, suddenly climbing onto the throne and giving Bill a hug. Or, the closest thing he can get to a hug. Bill's smirk is replaced with a smile, hugging back. 

"You got them both for me?"

"Yup, as well as that piss-poor excuse of a group. Even managed to nab all of your closest friends!"

"That's great! Thank you so much!"

Mabel, still stepping on Fords hand, playfully pouts. "C'mon, I rounded them all up! Where's my hug?"

Bill rolls his eye in amusement and gestures with a flap of the hand to come over. She squeals, running over and pretty much leaping into Bill's arms, the triangle's form not even shaking from the force of the attack-hug. All three laugh, smiling. 

Ford watches in disbelief, not even paying attention to the throbbing in his hand, and instead attempting to sit up the slightest bit. "Dipper! Mabel! What the hell is going on?! Why are you-...you-" 

Dipper cuts him off. "On Bill's side? Not dead? All in due time, Grunkle Ford. After all, there is a lot to get through, and we have all the time we need." 

Mabel giggles, chirping. "Another benefit to having time stopped in this place; we can party for all of eternity!" 

As if on cue, the room, which had been dark from the dim lighting, suddenly lights up with a flash, making both captives cry out in pain, eyes clenching shut. 

When the light dies down, Ford cracks his watering eyes open, and his blood goes cold. 

The entire room was covered in party decorations, all multi-colored and almost innocent, if not for the fact that the tables and chairs seemed to be made of bones, with gems seeming to have been fastened or glued on them. The balloons were actually shrunken madness bubbles, and he could faintly hear agonized screams coming from within. The cloth which draped over the table seemed to actually be stitched up pieces of human skin, each one all different shades and colors.

The only normal things in the room were the snacks on top of the table, varying from Doritos, to cakes, brownies, and, of course, Time Punch. The last thing was a huge banner stretching across the chapel window, words written in what looked like dried blood. 

It read ' _WELCOME HOME_.' 

All around them, were the Henchmaniacs, all wearing party hats and holding gift-wrapped boxes in their hands, grins on their faces as they all screamed "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" 

Dipper, who jumped slightly at the shouting, beamed with joy, laughing. "Oh my God, you guys actually set up a party? Thank you!" 

Bill hugs the boy closer, seeming to nuzzle him with his eye. "Well of course we set up a party! This is a special day for our favorite twins! Isn't that right, boys?!" 

The other demons cheered in approval and Mabel was swept up in a big hug from Pyronica, to which the girl just squealed with glee and hugged back. 

Ford just watched, mind too scattered to even speak. He felt like the ground under his feet just got yanked right out under him, and he was spiraling down in a sea of betrayl. Stan was no different, only being able to softly weep, the only clues about his current state being his shaking shoulders and his shining tear-tracks. 

Mabel, noticing this, coos in Pyronica's arms. "Awww, Grunkle Stan is crying! That's no good, we can't have that at our birthday!" 

8-Ball and Keyhole boo, screaming about the captives being 'party poopers' along with other insults. Dipper then waves a hand, silencing them. 

"How about we start the party, Mabes? That ought to make them oh so happy; I mean we have to thank them for making all of this possible in the first place!" 

A twisted grin appears on his face, head tilting slightly as Bill pets his hair, the demon looking extremely pleased. 

Mabel fixes Ford's gaze with a glare, eyes filled with hate even as she smiles widely. 

"I think that's a  _great_ idea."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup! I'm a BillDip shipper! 100%!
> 
> I really love all the comments everyone! Keep it up!


	11. The Story: Part 1

With a snap of her fingers, the chains embedded in the floor suddenly jerk up, dragging the two mentally scattered men with them, the prisoners now suspended in the air. 

Mabel twirls around to face the Henchmaniacs, a showy and joyous grin on her face. "Everyone, please leave your gifts in a pile, and feel free to help yourselves to some snacks! We've decided to do something a bit different with this special day! We're going to look at the photo album a bit early; stroll through memory lane as it were." 

Dipper hums in agreement, now comfortably resting in Bill's lap, hands behind his head and legs crossed over the armrest. He listens with a faint smile as his sister talks, followed by the small clunks as the other demons stack their gifts, as asked. Bill just stares down at his Pine Tree, expression calm, though it's laced with a hungry possessiveness as the demon strokes the boy's cheek with a thumb.  

Mabel snaps her fingers again, and a pink photo album appeared in her hands. "Grunkle Stan, Grunkle Ford, you both know how i decided to make a big summer scrapbook. Well, you haven't seen these precious memories before. They're all from me. And thanks to the Mindscape, I'm able to bring those back into full detail. I hope you do enjoy the show. I know I will."  

The light dims, though the party decor and snacks are still visible, and all the demons pull the chairs from the table to where Ford and Stan hang, sitting around the captives with light smiles as they all watch Mabel. She stands in front of them all, save for Bill, who watches in amusement on his throne. 

She flips open the album and smiles at a page. "How about we start from the beginning? The day we first came here..." 

The air behind the girl seems to shimmer, suddenly filling with grey fog that rapidly solidifies into a wide screen-like cloud. Mabel snaps her fingers, and a memory starts to play on the screen. 

~----~ 

"Come on Dipping-Dots, just 3 steps." 

Mabel gently takes her brother's hand as he slowly gets off the bus, holding a silver cane in a death grip, eyes covered with dark shades, though the way his mouth curves down in a nervous frown gives away his emotions. 

Mabel smiles warmly, squeezing his hand as she looks around. "Ok, no tree stumps, people, or bushes. Just a straight line toward the Shack." 

Dipper nods, hesitantly starting to walk, his sister keeping her pace slow as not to scare him. He can hear birds tweeting and the trees sway a bit in the wind. "So, he just runs a tourist trap in the woods?" 

"I guess so. Oh, stairs." 

Dipper immediately stops, tapping his cane left and right to try and gain his bearings, holding Mabel's hand tighter as he slowly steps up the stairs.

"Ok, you're good."

"Thanks Mabes." 

"Welcome. You ready?" 

"..Yeah." 

~----~ 

The other demons smile, some having plates of food in their hands and were munching away on the snacks. 

"Aww, you two were just adorable." Teeth squeals, clasping his hands to his canines; his substitute for cheeks. 

"I know, right?" 8-Ball grins, his eyes rolling with joy, and Pyronica chortles, nudging Stan's side with a fiery elbow. 

"You must've screwed up _badly_  to get them away from you!" 

Stan, wincing as the prod hits a bruise, grits his teeth. "W-We didn't do anyth-GHHK!" 

Mabel had suddenly darted over, grabbing his throat in a death grip, all the oxygen escaping his body with a wheeze. Her eyes flare magenta, blazing with rage, narrowing as she growls. 

"Not done anything? Not. Done. Anything? Oh, that's just rich coming from  _you_!" 

Ford watches, struggling as he sees his brothers neck starts to purple-up from a bruise. "Mabel-"

"SHUT UP!!!" 

Ford feels the wind get knocked out of him when the girl delivers a hard left hook to the gut, body curling in on itself,coughing up a small bit of blood. 

Mabel glares at the two with a vile hatred, her pointed teeth glinting as she screams. "YOU TWO CAN _NEVER_  SAY YOU DID NOTHING WRONG!! WHAT YOU DID WAS UNFORGIVEABLE!!" 

Dipper, who had been silent, opens an eye, not even turning his head to her general direction. "Mabes. Patience. Soon, we can do whatever we want." 

..She stills, slowly letting go of Stan's throat, who coughs, chest heaving as he takes deep breaths. Her expression molds into a blank slate, eyes closed and grin completely gone.

Pyronica frowns, scooting forward to put a hand on Mabel's shoulder, on her knees so she can look at the girl at eye-level. 

"Hun, are you ok?" 

Mabel grabs the fire-demons hand, squeezing it, a watery smile appearing on her face. "Yeah. I'm ok...Sorry about that, guys." 

The other demons all start talking, looking concerned and relieved. 

"No, no! It's ok!" Said 8-Ball, waving his arms placatingly.

"You need to let off a little steam once in a while. Perfectly reasonable." Pacifier mumbled, nodding. 

"The bastards deserve a little punch, seeing how they hurt you so much." Keyhole grinned awkwardly, trying his best to seem sincere. 

Kryptos smiles, giving her a thumbs-up. "If he says anything, we'll gladly deck him for ya!"

"Maybe you should eat something to take your mind off the rage." Teeth holds out a plate that has a few brownies and chips. 

"Yes, that would be a good idea." Hectorgon nods. 

Xanthar and Amourphus Shape say nothing, as they can't really talk, but Xanthar rumbles in what is most likely his version of a purr, while AS grins widely. 

Mabel smiles more, picking up the photo album from where it had fallen, as well as taking the offered plate. "Thanks everyone. You're the best." 

That bubbly spring in her step bounces back immediately when she turns to face the screen again, flipping to another page in the album. "I think it's time we get straight to the good parts, eh? The ones filled with drama and action! That's what you people want, right?!" 

The demons cheer, and Dipper chuckles at the way his sister was able to get back into it so fast. Bill sips his drink, looking a bit more eager. 

Mabel clears her throat, waving an arm at Stan and Ford, the former starting to silently cry again, the latter shaking with pain. "I'm sure the both of you remember Gideon Gleefull; the stupid shit that managed to get himself nearly killed in that landslide. Had to waste good magic on that pig." 

Dipper pipes up from Bill's throne, who was petting the boy's side. "Don't worry, Mabel. We'll get him back too." 

"I know, bro-bro. Anyways, Gideon had a job as a fraud psychic, and as such was a competitor to Grunkle Stan." She explained. "However, we didn't know how much of a creepy bastard he was until he started to...try and date me." She wrinkles her nose in disgust. 

Pyronica pats her shoulder, sitting back so the girl can sit in her lap, which Mabel does so as she continues to elaborate. "While he seemed nice at first, he started getting more pushy, pressuring me into more dates. Eventually things got so bad, Dipper decided to confront Gideon." 

Said brother winces at the reminder. "Yeaaahh...Not my best move." 

"Considering how the moment your back was turned he ended up using his amulet to push you off a cliff...I'd agree." 

Everyone winces, even Stan and Ford.  

Mabel sighs, her expression turning almost sad as the screen flickers to life again, displaying the memory. 

~----~ 

The hospital room was blindingly white, the shine glinting off the tiles almost making her eyes ache. Granted, her eyes were already burning from the force it took to not cry. 

Dipper was laying in a cot, arms and legs either heavily bandaged or casted up. He had been going into shock when the ambulance had arrived, and, while the doctor said he was going to be ok, Mabel felt miserable, sitting next to him and gently holding onto a finger that poked out from the guaze. 

Her mind was overflowing with poisonous, depressing thoughts. Ones that had plagued her mind for ages, and she desperately wishes they would just  _go away_. 

'You did this...You're responsible...you let him fall off that cliff...' 

No matter what she did, that mantra would repeat in her head, crippling guilt and self-hatred pumping through her veins like blood. 

Her voice is thick with sorrow, trembling. "..I'm so sorry...What kind of sister am I?" 

Her resolve broke, and Mabel buries her head in her arms, sobbing into her sweater, body shaking. 

She never sees the world around her turn grey. 

"You really care about him don't you?" 

Mabel screams, scrambling back as her head snaps up to see a strange floating triangle, staring down at her with an unreadable gaze. Her eyes widen, body feeling frozen in place, shaking with fright. "..Wh-...What are you?" 

The triangle quirks up an eyelid, chuckling. "I have a lot of names. Guess you could call me a dream demon." 

"D-Dream Demon?" 

"Not important right now, kid. I asked you a question." 

"..W-Well of course I care about him! He's my brother!" She sits up more in her seat, almost glaring at this weird monstrosity. She points a finger at the creature. "What do you want?!" 

"I want him out of the hospital as well. Let's just say it wouldn't be beneficial if he was stuck like this for the rest of the summer." 

Mabels eyes widen in shock. "Wh..What?" 

"But my services aren't free. I need something in return. I want to make a _deal_." On that last word, it's eye flashes blue, making Mabel jump. 

She stares for a long moment at this strange creature. Then at Dipper. She takes a breath. "..What do you want?"

"I want..someone I can share my knowledge with. I've been around for longer than your entire universe, and I'm perfectly willing to share all I know. What I want is an apprentice. A prodigy." 

Mabel blinks as the creature reaches out, tapping her on the nose with a claw. "And you, Shooting Star, are just what I need." 

The triangle floats back a bit, lowering a hand that suddenly bursts into flame, a bright blue. "So, kiddo. Do we have a deal?" 

Mabel's mind is a whirlwind, thoughts flying everywhere, rattling around in her skull. Then finally she decides. 

She reaches out and takes Bills hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heheheh! I love Stan and Ford, I swear! 
> 
> I just love Dark Dipper and Mabel even more!


	12. The Story: Part 2

Ford feels his heart sink as he watches the screen, knowing right then Mabel had kickstarted her downfall, along with her own brothers. 

Bill, hearing his thoughts, barks out a laugh. "HAH!! Downfall?! Does THIS-" He gestures to the room, filled with party decor. "Look like a downfall to you, Sixer? They have more power than any human could ever dream of! Immortal lives where all of their wants can be fulfilled! And where would they be with you? SPLIT APART AND FORCED TO SUFFER!!" 

Dipper and Mabel blink at the demons words, and both of them huff, the latter shaking her head. "You don't get it do you? We  _chose_ this. We  _wanted_ this. Bill was there to save my brother from death, I could only help return my end of the deal." 

The other demons chuckle as Mabel flips to another page, and yet another memory starts. 

~----~ 

The girl slowly walks into the thick brush of the forest, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. When she had shook the demons hand, she found herself waking up at Dippers bedside, and at first, she thought it was just a dream.

But when her brother started healing faster than expected, she began to realize that, perhaps, what happened was real. This is what led her into the trees surrounding the Shack, hoping to go in and find a trace of this triangular monster. 

Her eyes dart around, hands clutching onto her sweater sleeves, the feel of soft yarn soothing her uneasy nerves a slight bit, taking deep breaths. She was never good with horror; those scary books she would read to Dipper ended up giving her nightmares for weeks. So going into spooky forests like this was a little unsettling, paranoia buzzing in her head like a particularly annoying fly. 

"..Um..Hello? Mr. Triangle?" 

"The name is Bill, kiddo." 

She squeaks and whirls around, seeing the same creature from last night floating in mid-air, eye quirked up in a amused smile. "Glad to see you were smart enough to head in here. Makes for a good place to work in secret." 

Mabel tilts her head, slightly confused and a little apprehensive. "S-Secret?"

The demon, now known as Bill, waves a hand dismissively. "Yes, secret. But there's a few things we need to take care of first."

"Ok...What exactly do we need to do?"

"For starters, you're gonna need a guide in order to help you deal with all the crazy supernatural cryptids that run around in this place." 

Mabel feels her heart leap into her throat, knowing exactly what he meant thanks to all those books with Dipper. She grips onto her sweater tighter. "C-Cryptids?" 

"Yup! Lots of 'em! And I've got just the guide!" 

Bill holds out a clawed hand, to which Mabel gingerly takes, the skin hard and smooth like stone, yet it's scorching hot and has a sensation akin to static. 

"Come along Shooting Star." With a few gentle tugs, he leads her deeper into the forest, soon coming to a stop at a singular tree. Mabel's brow furrows, even more confused now. 

"Uhh.." 

"Knock on it." 

The girl blinks, then timidly raps her fist against the bark of the tree. Instead of the light, hollow sound she expected, she hears a small but deep thud, as if someone was hitting metal. 

...Wait...This _was_  metal. 

Mabel blinks, trailing a hand over the mettalic tree bark, fingers finding the small indents of a panel. Bill watches as she slowly wrenches it open, going into a small coughing fit from the cloud of dust and cobwebs that billow out from the inside. "..What is this?" 

She sees a small fuse box, layered with buttons and switches, and after cautiously flicking a couple, she yelps and whirls around as a secret compartment under the grass opens up. Bill chuckles, grinning. "Go ahead. See what it is." 

Mabel cautiously walks forward and peers in. 

A old, dust-covered book, with a six-fingered hand in the middle, the number three painted into the palm. 

~----~ 

"I couldn't wait to show Dipper what Bill helped me find. A mysterious book of the supernatural unknown in town. We were both excited, and with Bill teaching me magic to keep us safe, it was building up to be a great summer." 

Ford dimly watches as Mabel's grin gains a malicious edge. "And it only got better when Bill decided I was ready to begin my first task." 

~----~ 

"You want me to WHAT?!"

"Break into this slobs house and steal a pale-blue heirloom necklace from him. Sucker doesn't realize the magic stored inside." 

Mabel stares in disbelief at Bill, who floats in front of a creaky old house on the outskirts of town. He looks a bit amused at her look of shock. 

"I can't do that! Stealing is wrong; and what if I get caught?!"

He flaps an arm dismissively. "Pshh. Having you in juvee wouldn't really benefit me, Shooting Star. And if I recall, weren't you the one that punched a unicorn in the snout when you tried to take some crystals from it?" 

"You told me to get those!" 

"Didn't say you had to punch the horse." 

"We're getting off topic. Look..Um...Promise I won't get caught?" 

"Nah; the geezer is out of the house and he left the window open. Cmon, it's nice and simple. No security cameras, no guard dogs. Easy peasy." 

Mabel bites her lip,shifting from foot to foot as she mulls it over. She finally takes a deep breath and grabs onto the windowsill. "If I get caught I'm punching you in the eye." 

Bill just grins. "You are just a treat." 

~----~ 

"Needless to say, that is how I became Bill's Thief; I went around and stole any object that he wanted, most often for the magical potential trapped inside them. At first, I was nervous about doing such tasks, but then, I felt a perverse thrill in it. The rush I would get when i accidentally made a noise, a dog barked, anything." 

Dipper smiles softly, batting away one of Bills hands as they attempt to slide under his shirt. "And all that time, you kept digging into mind magic." 

Ford blinks, head raising the slightest bit. "...Wh-What are you talking about?"

"Heheh. You always said I had a powerful imagination Grunkle Ford." 

Mabel stretches out her hands, and her eyes flare magenta. 

The air around her fingers seems to shimmer before turning grey. "But I never knew it was strong enough to gain control over the Mindscape." 

Another memory plays. 

~----~ 

Bill stares, his eye wide. 

It had been 7 weeks since Shooting Star became his, and he never expected how impeccable her skill was. She swiped items from under people's noses, often giggling in a naughty glee. The magic was always centered toward her strongest attribute; her mind. 

While it had WAY too much glitter and rainbows, Mabel was able to snap into lucidity during a dream with a snap of her fingers, her imagination was always flooded with ideas, emotions, and if she managed to dominate her mind, then her capabilities could be insane. 

But he never expected this. 

Mabel, sitting on the ground, knees slightly smudged with dirt. A small bowl lay next to her, tipped over, spilling out it's contents; a green powder, sparkling in the moonlight. Those were a ground-up crystal she dug out of a bracelet, as Bill said it was connected to telepathy. 

Everytime she had a crystal or rock to absorb, Mabel had to grind up the substance, then sprinkle it into either a food or drink, so it would be easier to swallow and get through her system. She had been building up the magic stored in her body by doing this, though this was unexpected.

The air around her hands were distorted and grey. 

She wiggled her fingers, feeling like the digits were passing through a almost slimy film, except her skin was dry. 

"..The Mindscape."

"What?" 

"You gained some control over the Mindscape! I can't believe this! Usually you're only able to do it inside dreams, but you managed to warp the reality around your body!" 

He suddenly starts laughing, cupping her hands in his claws. "This is great! When things really get wild, you may even be able to power creation itself!" 

Her eyes widen.

A shaky smile forms on her face. And she starts to laugh too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting interesting! 
> 
> Sorry for the wait. Lost motivation.


	13. The Story: Part 3

Stan shakes as the memory plays, logical thoughts dropping like flies and being replaced with savage emotions that stab his heart with their barbed spears. His face is soaked in tears, and he doesn't even register the fact that his hands and feet have gone numb from the lack of blood circulation. 

Mabel sighs happily at the memory, lounging carelessly in Pyronica's lap, her hair being stroked by the she-demon. "Good times. Goood times." 

Dipper waggles a finger at his sister, eyes still closed, as he doesn't feel a reason to have them open. "Forgetting someone, sis? Sure, we now all know how you came to meet Bill, but what about me?"

"Oops! Heheh, sorry bro-bro; kinda got caught up in telling all the juicy bits!" 

"Of course." Dipper scoffs but his smile doesn't waver, and Bill cracks his knuckles. 

"Due to Pine Tree's lack of sight, it's usually impossible to get a visual look into his memories. Luckily for me, I can dish out some of  _my_ memories as a substitute. That ok with you, Sapling?" 

Dipper chuckles as the demon pokes him in the belly with a claw. "Yes, of course it's fine." 

Bill grins widely. "Great!" He straightens up in his seat a bit more, snapping his fingers, and Mabel's memory fizzles out, being replaced. 

All the demons suddenly have bags of popcorn in their hands, chowing down despite the fact that it wasn't an option on the table nearby. 

~----~ 

The visual Mindscape of "Dipper" <insert real name here> Pines was a rather dull and jumbled one; it seemed to resemble a forest, loaded with trees and other natural aspects, but everything was off. 

The trees were distorted, bending at odd angles, and even had a look of being clouded or smudged out; even if Bill drifted right up to one, he could never get his eye to focus and get a clear image of the bark. There was a breeze flowing by, but it sounded like the buzz of a fan mixed with white noise. 

 The ground, covered in grass, constantly had footprints imbedded in them, and no matter what, it always made a crunching sound, that seemed louder than usual; like someone was trampling through a field of potato chips, not bendable whisps of plant-life.

The water didn't even move inside the river, the liquid frozen in place and even shining a blinding white, and if Bill stuck his claws in it, the area would instantly be filled with the sound of rain pelting against a window. 

Bill continues to float through the ghost-forest, calling it that because the whole place is silent, not even the tweet of a bird is heard. Eventually, he comes across what  _would_ be a house; each and every slab of concrete, plank of wood, and pipe, were all scattered everywhere, floating endlessly through the mind, like the house was torn to pieces. 

Bill can't say he isn't a little surprised; minds from disabled people, whether physical or mental, were usually a bit more screwed up; bullying, lack of self-worth, or blocking of certain senses were the main causes. He decides to dig through the debris of the house, thankfully finding doors, still intact, that show this kids memories. 

None of them are pretty. 

Dipper had been a shy, quiet kid when attending school; though the teachers were nice to him, and his sister was there as much as she could've been, the other kids were  _much_ worse than any representation a tv show made. They constantly gave him mocking questions or jabs. 

"Hey Braniac! How many fingers am I holding up?" 

"Bet you can't tell where I am, huh?" 

"Aww, what's wrong? Sad cuz I took away your stupid book? Well come and get it! Oh wait, you  _can't_!" 

If it wasn't that,  it was throwing books or pencil cases at his head, tripping him in the hallways, or even worse, shoving him into lockers; he would get freaked out by his inability to move, and start bawling uncontrollably until a teacher or Mabel found him. It would get so bad, he would fake sick just to try and get away from the torment. 

All because he couldn't see. 

Bill frowns as he looks these memories over, finding the behavior of these kids to be rather...disapproving. He's seen a lot worse, but it doesn't change the fact it damaged Shooting Star's brother quite a bit. 

Thats when he hears a small sniffling noise, muffled, like someone is trying to cover it up. 

Bill follows the sound, and his eye widens a bit. 

Dipper was curled up in a ball, shoulders shaking, laying on possibly the only piece of the floor still together. He was crying, obviously scared. But seeing him here at all was rather mystifying; blind people rarely dream at all. So Bill was sort of caught off guard by this. 

He sighs silently, straightning his tie. He was gonna have to talk to the kid sooner or later. Guess it's sooner. 

"Hiya kiddo! What're you doing here?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments! Really love them!


	14. The Story: Part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * This first section is a continuation of the last flashback from the previous chapter.

Bill watches as the kid practically jumps a foot in the air, squealing from surprise and fright, eyes snapping around out of instinct. "Wh-Who's there?! Where are you?!"  

The triangle winces, realizing his mistake. It probably wasn't a good idea to just shout at him like that; could set him even more on edge, and that's completely counter-productive to why he's here. 

So, he gently lands in front of the boy, clearing his throat. "Kid, I'm right in front of you. I'm not gonna hurt ya; just want to talk with you." 

The boy stills, turning his head in Bill's general direction, and the demon blinks in surprise. The kids eyes were blue. Really, really blue. And pretty. 

Oh wait, Pine Tree was speaking. 

"Wh-Who are you?" 

"The name is Bill! Bill Cipher. Nice to meet ya, Pine Tree." 

"..My name is Dipper." 

"Heheh. We both know that's not true, but I'll let it slide. Anyway, may I ask why you were crying?" 

Dipper blinks, before looking down, expression ashamed, wringing his hands together. "..The noises..They scare me." 

Bill blinks, tilting his 'head' in confusion. Noise? What noise? This entire Mindscape is silent! "Uhh..kid, what're you talking about?" 

He reaches out to touch Dippers forehead, but his eye widens as an explosion of noise echoes all around him, a blended cacophony of sounds that are louder than they normally are. He growls, and with a wave of his hand, they are silenced. 

Dipper gasps in surprise as the noises cease, blinking in surprise. "Wh-What happened?" 

Bill laughs, eye quirked up in a smug grin, twirling his cane gently. "I'm not exactly human, Pine Tree. Think of me as the Master of the Mind!" 

The boy blinks  then smiles uncertainly. "Well...Thank you Bill." 

"You're welcome, kid." He ruffles Dippers hair and he giggles, hands reaching up to grasp Bills wrist. 

"Hehehe....Um, hey Bill? Can I...touch you?" 

Bill just grins. "If that makes you comfortable."  

The boy hesitantly reaches out, palms soon pressing flat against the demons front, gasping at how the texture feels; it's scorching hot, yet doesn't feel uncomfortable, sending prickles across Dipper's hands like they fell asleep. He could feel grooves, like a brick formation, pausing when he touches the soft velvet of Bill's bow tie. 

Bill watches, trying not to laugh at the concentrated look on Dippers face, how it shifts into fascination as his fingers start tracing his sides. The touch tickled a little, pleasantly, but other than that, provided no other sensation. The boy tilts his head. "..Are you a triangle?" 

This time, the demon did laugh, a small chortle that makes the humans cheeks flush with a small bit of embarrassment. "Yes, kiddo. I'm indeed a triangle." 

Dipper then grins, one hand drifting upwards, looking more at ease. "That's cool." 

Bill carefully keeps still as the hand traces near his eyeball, then gets a rather childish idea; as Dipper's hand gets closer, he quickly blinks rapidly, eyelashes tickling the boy's palm. 

He giggles and pulls the limb back; rather ticklish. "I guess those were your eyes?" 

"Eye. Only got one."

"..A one-eyed triangle? Like on the back of a dollar?" 

"Yup! That's me!" 

Dippers face breaks into a full-blown smile, eyes shining with excitement. "Wow! That's amazing!" 

"Aww, you're making me blush!" Bill remarks cheekily, leaning on his cane. "But, I'm afraid I have to drop the fun for now, and get down to buisness." 

Dipper blinks as Bill steps away. "Tell me kiddo; are you a fan of mysteries? The supernatural?"

"Of course I am!" Another wide grin.

Bill smiles, expression turning devious. "Well, I can offer knowledge on all sorts of secrets. Even more than that Journal ever could."  

"Really?! You'd do that?" 

"Of course. You just have to do one thing for me first." 

Dipper pauses, and he visibly tenses up the slightest bit. "What is it?" 

The demon strokes the boys hair, making him squeak slightly. "All you have to do is let me into your mind." 

There is a brief moment of silence, and Dipper bites his lip. "..Why do I have to do that?" 

"I'm not physical Pine Tree; I can't share knowledge just by being in your dreams." 

Dipper nods. "I guess that's true." 

Bill grins, grasping his hand, but not lighting up his flame yet. "Do we have a deal?" 

"...Deal."  

~----~ 

Mabel sips on some Time Punch, listening, along with the others, as Dipper narrates. "Thanks to Bill, me and Mabel could go on a lot more adventures, not just relying on the Journal for a thrill. Things were good for a while." 

..Mabel growls, teeth showing as her lip curls into a sneer. "Then Stan decided to open up the portal in an attempt to bring back his brother." 

Dipper growls as well, eyes snapping open at the memory. "Ugh.  _That_ day. Dreadful time it was." 

The sister glances back at the other demons, glaring at Stan for a moment. "You see, while he was trying to open the portal, he ended up attracting agents of the U.S. government, who came to Gravity Falls, and after investigating, arrested him." 

"They tried to take us away too, but we ended up getting out. We wanted to prove Stan's innocence, that the agents were wrong....Except we made the mistake of looking at the security tapes." 

"Then, me and Dipper found fake I.D's hidden in a box. Along with a newspaper article displaying the supposed death of Stan Pines." 

"We were freaking out; Mabel was convinced it was somehow a misunderstanding. I, however, began to feel...betrayed."

"Long story short, we found the portal. Dipper, in a fit of betrayl and anger, attacked Stan the moment he appeared. This happened right when the portal charged up and was beginning to open. I latched onto a shut-down button, and both Stan and Dipper were screaming at me to either push or not push the button." 

Mabel pauses, eyes blazing pink with rage. "..This nearly cost me my brother.  _You_ nearly cost me my brother." She hisses, rounding on Stan, hatred evident in her gaze, who just shrinks back in fear, utterly broken. 

The screen begins to play.  

~----~ 

The dark, grey room was littered with the debris of the wrecked portal, the light blue shine of the machine flickering weakly in the center, slowly dying. It cast eerie shadows over the only two occupants of the room. 

Ford and Stan had dashed upstairs immediately when the latter had mentioned the agents, using the memory gun on them all to get rid of them. Soos ran to tell Wendy what had happened. 

That left only Dipper and Mabel. 

The boy said nothing, kneeling silently on the ground, facing away from his sister, expression blank. The girl was staring at his back, hands clutching her sweater sleeves out of fear. She saw his face when she let go of the button's pedastal; the utter shock and betrayal  reflected in those bright blue eyes.

"..Dipper?" Her voice is meek, afraid. Quiet.

"....How could you."

"Wh-?"

"How could you trust _him. Over me_." 

Mabel feels her heart skip a beat, and she takes a step forward. "Bro-Bro-"

"He couldn't even have been our Grunkle. He was a con-man. A LIER!" Those last two words are shouted, filled with rage and bitterness.

Mabel flinches back. "Please just listen to me!"

Dipper is up on his feet in a flash, whirling around, eyes squeezed shut as his teeth grit. "WHY DID YOU TRUST HIM MORE THAN ME?!! IM YOUR BROTHER!" 

"I-I just didn't want to think he was a criminal." Mabel squeaks out, trembling. 

"SO YOU RISKED MY LIFE, ALONG WITH THE WHOLE UNIVERSE, ON A HUNCH?!" 

"I-Dipper-" She steps forward, heart hammering in her chest, bringing a hand up to Dippers shoulder, only to suddenly be on the floor, pain radiating from her jaw. 

"DONT TOUCH ME MABEL!! I-..I-....I HATE YOU!" 

Those words echo through the room, the boys voice cracking from dark, poisonous emotions that pool in his gut. 

Mabel feels her heart shatter to pieces. 

She doesn't feel herself scramble to her feet and shove her brother aside as she races up toward the shack. 

She doesn't feel the tears streak down her face, or hear Stan yelling at her to come back.

She just sobs harder than she ever has before as she runs toward the forest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heheheh. I'm a horrible person! 
> 
>  
> 
> Please comment!


	15. The Story: Part 5

The forest seemed to darken in appearance, as if affected by the roiling emotions emanating from the distraught girl stomping through the brush, tears soaking her face, chest heaving with the force of her despairing wails.

She just keeps running, not even caring that her legs were getting cut and scraped by sharp thorns and bush branches, the burning, agony settled deep in her heart easily blocking out any physical pain. She had no destination, no sense of where she was going or why.

All she could do was run.

When her legs finally give out, she finds herself at the center of a small clearing, trees circled around it almost perfectly. She collapses into her hands and knees, sinking to the ground with a hard choking sob, body jerking from how hard she's sniveling.  

She lays there for several moments, eyes squeezed shut, in total mental despair. 

The world goes grey around her, and she barely manages to see a soft yellow glow through her tears. She quickly sits up, face twisted into an expression of pure hurt. 

Bill floats in front of her, eye half-lidded, looking rather empathetic, as he drifts to the ground, drops his cane, and holds out his arms. 

"C'mere kid." 

Mabel nearly runs over to the demon, throwing her arms around him in a crushing hug, face burying into what would be his shoulder as she starts crying all over again, dimly registering Bill hugging her back, one hand stroking her hair soothingly. 

"Shhh..Shhh..It's ok. It'll be ok."

Mabel just keeps on crying, her violent jerking being calmed slightly by the feeling of Bill's body; scorching hot, yet not uncomfortable, and seems to have an almost soothing effect on her body, possibly due to him being a dream demon.

It takes a while for her to finally calm down enough that she wasn't in danger of hyperventilating, and Mabel finally pulls away, sitting back, wiping her face with a sweater sleeve, looking away in shame.  "..'M sorry.." 

Bill smiles a bit, chuckling softly. "No need to apologize, kid. Just relax for a second. Want some tea?" 

She smiles a bit, nodding slightly. "Thanks." 

Bill snaps his fingers, and a light blue tea-cup on a saucer pops in front of the girl, filled with hot tea, the smell rather pleasant and soothing. She takes a careful sip, and finds it to be rather delicious, much unlike any kind of tea she's ever tasted. Bill himself spawns a cup of his own, slurping it through his eye-mouth. 

It takes a few refills of Mabel's tea for her to stop the tears, and Bill smiles. "I've been meaning to talk with you. You may be my apprentice, sure, but I haven't told you everything. I have big plans. And they'll go into effect soon."

She peers at him, eyes still pink from crying. "P-Plans?"

"Yes, that's right. You see, I'm not from this world. I came from what you humans call the 2nd Dimension. It was a vile, corrupted place, full of flat, ignorant minds that refused to realize there was more to their lives than...a grey landscape." 

His voice grew bitter, even angry, his claws tightening over his cup. He looks up at Mabel, pupil so slitted with malicious glee it actually sends a shiver of fear up her spine. "When I became what I am today, I took my chance to liberate my dimension of it's rules and oppression. And I only wish to do the same to yours." 

Mabel is silent for a few moments. "..What does that mean?" 

"It means I'll be able to control  _everything_. There will be no limitations to what I can do. All I need to do is to locate this." He snaps his fingers, and a weird capsule appears in his claws,a cryptic star-laden substance that warps and floats inside it. 

She stares, mouth agape, and Bill smirks. "It's an Interdimensional Rift in space/time; I need to break it open so I can enter this reality and gain a physical body." 

"..Why are you telling me this?" 

"I want you, Shooting Star, to join me. I can give you all that you want and more. Can show you all the wonders of this Dimension, and even make you immortal. Forever happy. Forever powerful." 

Mabel is silent, the words sinking in, and she just sits there for a moment.

"...You'd be destroying the world." 

"I personally don't care what you call it. Just ask yourself this; do they deserve it?"

She stills, and all sorts of memories come flooding back. 

Of Dipper sobbing while trapped in lockers, weakly bashing his fists against the metal door in a pitiful attempt to free himsełf from the mounting panick attack. 

Of resisting the urge to deck those bullies in the face as they attempt to grab Dippers cane. 

Of the rage she felt when the teachers just shrugged their shoulders, saying "there was nothing they could do", as if her brother being terrified to go to school was a minor inconvenience. 

Of Gideon nearly causing Dipper's death by shoving him off that cliff. 

Of Robbie threatening to beat up a blind kid, all because he was trying to tell him Wendy wasn't at the Shack. 

Of her Grunkle causing her brother to hate her.

"Yes. They do." Her voice is cold, so much so that even Bill blinks, a little shocked. Then he smirks. 

"Exactly. So how about you help me? I'm sure Pine Tree would love to be in on this as well." 

Mabel is silent, then grins weakly. "..Why not? I've gone this far already." 

Bill holds out a hand, eye quirked up in a smile. "Welcome to the team, Shooting Star." 

~----~ 

"After that, Bill visited my Mindscape, and eventually managed to get me and Mabel to make up." Dipper explains, sitting up a bit more, now facing the general direction of the traumatized prisoners. 

Both Grunkles were crying, minds scattered like puzzle-pieces, and Mabel just grins sweetly, laughing joyously. "Awww, our story must be really good! They're crying and everything!" 

Her brother grins a bit, swinging his cane liesurely on a finger. "I think it's time we wrap this up with one more memory before the real fun starts." 

His sister grins, and snaps her fingers. 

~----~ 

The townspeople were bustling around as usual, busy with their jobs, occasionally making small talk with other individuals, none of them paying any mind to the children walking to the center of the town. One carried a cane, tapping it on the ground, but not in the same nervous way he usually did. 

The other carries a backpack in one hand, back straight with a sharp confidence that often was carried by someone like Gideon, not a sweetheart like the girl. 

They come to a stop, facing each other, and Mabel pulls out the Rift; having snagged it from Ford while he was asleep, and guides Dippers hands to it, both twins holding the capsule between them. 

"...You ready, Mabel?" 

"..Nope. Let's do it." 

The Rift falls and breaks. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of the end.


	16. The Initiation

Ford doesn't say anything as the screen finally dissapates, heart torn to shreds at the realization that his niece and nephew were the enemy the entire time. He could've known.  

 _He could've known_. 

But he didn't. 

Mabel bounces to her feet with a squeal. "Oooh, what should we do first?" 

Dipper tilts his head a bit, humming. "..Perhaps we should play a few games first. I imagine our guests are getting tired just sitting there." 

Stan looks up in terror as the girl grins widely, fingers poised, ready to snap. "That sounds like a lovely idea." 

She then lowers her hand. 

"But I have a little surprise for them. For all of you." 

Everyone else blinks in confusion, Bills eye quirking up in an amused grin. "Really? Well, you are the birthday girl! Go ahead!" 

Ford watches, tense, and the other demons chatter excitedly, grins on their faces as they watch Mabel. Her eyes turn pink, pupils slitting, and she claps her hands twice, making a section of the floor get carved out and levitate downwards, sinking into the lower floors. 

She then turns, facing the hallway to her left and snaps her fingers again, smirking viciously. A bright yellow bubble floats in, the doorway briefly expanding to accommodate the size of the object. It floats above Mabel, pulsing slightly with golden light. 

Bill watches, sipping at his martini, interested. 

Mabel turns to him. "Hey Bill, ever thought about adding a third human to our gang?" 

"Can't say I have." 

The Henchmaniacs perk up at this, starting to babble louder, and Ford feels his blood run cold. Stan immediately starts to struggle, only to cause Pacifier to grab the chains and yank, making him shout in pain. 

Mabel giggles sickeningly as she snaps her fingers, and the bubble suddenly cracks, before shattering, the remains sparkling as they gently float to the ground. 

Pacifica briefly floats in thin air for a few seconds, and then drops to the floor with a small thud. 

Bill raises a brow. "Llama, huh? Why not go for someone like Question Mark or Ice Bag?" 

Mabel looms over Pacifica, casting a dark shadow over the limp girl, eyes looking her over as she smirks. "No; Soos is too innocent. We know he wouldn't join us, he cares too much about Stan. And there's no way we could hurt him; he never hurt us." 

She looks back to smirk at the triangle. "Wendy, while certainly willing to get crazy and throw a party, wouldn't appreciate her friends being turned to stone. That, and I don't think you would like her around, being an old crush of Dipper's after all."

 The other demons all howl with laughter, and Bill chuckles as well, though his claws almost immediately clench into Dipper's shoulder, signaling his possessiveness. "Fair point, Shooting Star."

Dipper winces at the pain, yet he makes a noise that is definitely  _not_ in protest to the action. 

Mabel crouches, examining Pacifica's condition. Her dress was made of rags, skin dirtied and scraped, every inch seeming to be laced with some kind of gash or cut. Her hair is outrageously knotted and dulled, indicating she hasn't had time to get clean in a while. Her lips are cracked, bleeding some, and she looks painfully scrawny and mal-nourished. 

"Tsk, Tsk. Even to total strangers, you suck at taking care of people." 

Ford opens his mouth to speak, but suddenly can't move, vocal chords freezing in his throat. Mabel giggles, mockingly pressing a finger to her lips. "Shhh...She's waking up." 

Indeed, the girl was stirring, eyes moving beneath the lids, muscles slowly stretching as she yawns quietly, blood rushing to the aching limbs. Her green eyes flutter open, vision blurry, a dull throbbing at the back of her head. She can barely make out black shoes and white socks inches from her face.  

Pacifica croaks, voice hoarse and cracking slightly. "..Wh-..Where am i?" 

Mabel kneels, voice soft as she affectionately pets her hair. "If all goes well: Home." 

Pacifica's eyes widen and she weakly pushes herself up into a sitting position, mouth open with shock. "M-..Mabel?" 

"In the flesh!"

"B-But..The explosion!"

"I was up here. I was never in any danger. But man, it seems you really took a beating out there!" Mabel frowns almost mockingly, cooing with a sickeningly sweet voice. 

She stands, and quickly grabs a red-solo cup of Time Punch, as well as a plate of snacks. Pacifica stares at the food, her stomach giving a rather loud rumble, making 8-Ball chuckle quietly. 

Mabel, hearing this, quickly brings the food back over to her, kneeling on the floor, smiling gently. She hands the bubbling purple cup to the blonde. "Drink this first." 

The other demons watch as Pacifica takes a tiny sip, her eyes widening at the taste. It seems to have a mix of sweet and tangy, the bubbles refreshing against her tongue, yet the flavor almost reminds her of mixed berries. She starts to drink a bit more, careful not to upset her stomach. 

With a gasp, Pacifica watches as her bruises and cuts fade, almost like they never happened. Warmth creeps back into her limbs, as if a warm blanket was draped over her. She can feel her stomach expand, body gaining back the energy and stores of fat it had lost during the few months out in oblivion. 

Mabel giggles. "Another quirk of Time Punch; heals all bodily harm through the passage of time."

"..That's...incredible." 

"Heheh, that's not even the tip of the iceberg! Me and Dippin-Dots have seen a  _lot_ during these past few months, and we're happy to share." 

"Dipper?" 

Pacifica's eyes dart over to the throne, seeing said boy tilt his head in their general direction, and smiles, curling a hand around one of Bill's. "Long time no see." 

The blonde' slips twitch up in a small smile, but it drops when Bill smirks at her. "...Wh-What is  _he_ doing here?!" 

"This is my castle, Llama. I live here."

Pacifica's eyes shrink and they dart all over the room. Due to her weak vision, she couldn't make everything out, but now that her health was restored, she now saw everything. 

The gruesome decor. 

The terrifying monsters all laughing as they watch her expression turn to horror. 

Mr. Pines and Mr. Ford chained up, staring at her with looks of hopelessness. 

Her head snaps toward Mabel, who's still grinning, and scrambles back. "You're part of this?!" 

"About time you caught on! I'm impressed; only took a few minutes."

"How?! Why?!" 

Mabel sighs, arms held out placatingly. "I'll explain later. We just got done with our Grunkles and I really am not in the mood for talking anymore. The point is, is that we want you to join us."

Pacifica's eyes widen, terror gripping her heart, blood icy in her veins. "What?!" 

The section of the floor that had been lowered suddenly rises back up, and Mabel laughs in glee. "Great timing! Pacifica, dear, you might want to see this." 

The blonde shakily turns. 

Her pupils shrink.

There, carried up from below, chained tightly to surgical tables, were her parents. 

Preston still had his face switched around, the man barely able to breathe in that morbid state, the one eyeball protruding from his mouth focusing on his daughter, and starts struggling, muffled gurgles piercing the silence. 

Mrs. Northwest looked bruised and dirty, but was otherwise unharmed. 

Mabel steps closer to Pacifica, who was sitting with her back to her, expression that of horror and disbelief. The brunette kneels, hugging her from behind, chin rested on her shoulder. "We kept them alive just for you." 

The blonde barely twitches at the touch, staring at her parents, thoughts scrambling, heart pounding in her chest. 

Mabel frowns,sensing this, and snaps her fingers, making Pacifica's eyes start to glow.

From her perspective, the room is suddenly shrouded in black, and the desperate gurgles and screams of her mom and dad fade away, leaving only her and Mabel. 

Its like her body has shut down; she can barely move, and it's sluggish and slow when she can. She turns her head to look at Mabel. The girl is looking serious, bringing up a hand to softly pet her golden hair, the touch so gentle she can barely feel it. 

"..Listen to me, Pacifica. Just listen to my offer." 

Her voice is quiet, calm, and sweet. Her cheeks sparkle with the faintest hintings of glitter, and her eyes are gentle and warm. When she hugs Pacifica close, she can smell the faintest scent of pine needles, smoke, and the warmth enacting from the home-made fabric. 

Mabel's voice is almost a faint buzz. 

"..I know that you were mean to me when we first met. We had that dance-off and everything, and you acted like a total jerk. But I forgive you for that. You never went after Dipper, after all. And as long as you just targeted me, I wouldn't hate you." 

She let's her hair be petted, the sensation rather comforting to her frazzled mind, burying her face into Mabel's shoulder. 

"And you know what? I still don't. That's why you're here, Pacifica. I don't hate you, not after that crazy night at the golf course, and I want to make you happy." 

"..How?" 

"By letting you live with me of course! I said before that I'd be glad to show you all the things I've seen, and that wasn't a lie. We have all of eternity to explore this world, and you deserve better than what you had before." 

Pacifica's head tilts a little. "..I do?"

"Yup. I can make you the happiest Northwest in the Universe. You just have to do one thing." 

Theres a mettalic clatter on the ground, and Pacifica turns slightly to see what it was. 

A silver knife. 

Mabel didn't need to say what she had to do. 

The blonde feels her heart jump slightly, and Mabel rubs her back, shushing her softly. "Shh...Shhh.."

"..Why? Why do I have to kill them?"

"It's to prove yourself. That you're capable of being part of our group of freaks...And I know you've been harboring anger for a while." 

Pacificas breath catches in her throat. 

Mabel leans forward, whispering into her ear. "Just think about it. Think about all those times they forced you to obey their rules. Their customs. They wanted to keep up a facade, and conditioned you to fit that mold like you were nothing but a brainless dog." 

Memories start appearing all around the two. 

"They emotionally abused you, controlled you, to the point where the  _ringing of a bell_ made you flinch. Made you cower. They treated you like dirt. Like you were nothing but a doll to use, to show everyone how "perfect" they were."

Pacificas fists clench. 

Mabel rubs her back, before cupping her chin to look the blonde in the eyes. 

"Join us, and you can be free from the torment. From the pain." 

Pacifica looks down, then turns. 

She picks up the knife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait!


	17. The Celebration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning; death, torture, and cannabalism.

Ford stares in horror as Pacifica's eyes glow, appearing distant and un-seeing from Mabel's spell. The aforementioned girl's eyes are in the same state, and neither of their bodies move. 

He wishes to speak, to scream, to demand Mabel to stop all this madness, but his throat still refuses to comply with his wishes. His brow just furrows with immense confusion and desperation, heart pounding with fear in his chest. 

8-Ball, having seen the distraught look on the man's face, laughs. "Oh calm down, you old fart. Mabel there is just in Llama's Mindscape, so that way she can get to her better." 

Dipper laughs, stroking the back of Bills hand, which rests in his lap. "She always did have a way of getting what she wants. This will be an excellent party indeed." 

Their eyes stop glowing suddenly, and Pacifica blinks owlishly for a few seconds, trying to process what was going on, before sitting up straighter. She hears her parents screaming, and her fists clench onto the handle of a knife. She didn't even realize she was holding it. 

Mabel coos, voice sugary sweet as she stands up. "C'mon Pacifica dearest! Mustn't keep your precious mother and father waiting!" 

Ford feels his heart tighten with fear at the sight of that blade, and he attempts to struggle, but no matter how much he wills it, his body doesn't so much as twitch. 

All the other demons laugh, cheering on the blonde girl as she walks closer and closer to her captured parents, Preston's gurgles starting to sound confused and scared, while Mrs. Northwest sees the knife and startes writhing in her bonds. Mabel tuts, grabbing the blue metal chains and tightening them harshly, making the woman yelp in pain. 

"It's rude to try and run away from a party, Mrs. Northwest! Especially a _killer_ like this one!" 

She laughs at her joke, along with the Henchmaniacs, gleefully watching the spectacle as Pacifica steps forward. She feels stronger already with the help of the Time Punch, sipping it mindlessly as she waks closer to the captives. Their pleas for mercy are drowned by Mabel's words echoing through her head, and so she doesn't react. 

 She stands right in front of the surgical tables, the silver blade glinting in the red light pouring in from the chapel window, and Mabel leans over her shoulder, voice like honey. "Go ahead. Do it, and you will feel pain no more." 

Ford's eyes shrink with fear as the knife is held up in the air. He feels helpless, as he cannot move or speak. 

He can only watch as the knife is swung down, plunging right into the breastbone of Mrs. Northwest, blood spurting out of the breach like a fire hose, and the woman's screams dissolve into a weak bone-chilling gasp. 

Pacifica simply pulls the knife out, expression dim, the blade making a gorey  _schlick_ sound as it tears from the flesh. Mabel giggles, both of them spattered with red, her expression twisting into a maniac joy at the sight. "Yes, yes! Good! Keep stabbing!" 

Preston is screaming, the noise distorted thanks to his mutated face, tears pouring from his eye which is stuck in his mouth, forced to watch as the knife is violently plunged into his wife's chest over and over. 

Bill is laughing, and the Henchmaniacs are cheering wildly, clapping in praise of Pacifica, who simply just keeps staring at her mothers blood-soaked corpse. 

Her chest is torn into minced-meat, filled with so many stab wounds the blood has soaked her legs. The stench of iron fills the air, the flesh hanging limply from the bones of her upper torso. Mabel gets a curious look on her face. 

So she reaches out and, with a little difficulty, yanks a chunk of meat from a rib bone, a few specks of blood hitting her in the cheek. 

Ignoring the disgusted looks on her Grunkles faces, she promptly pops the strip of flesh into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully before swallowing.

"Mm..Not too bad! A little hard to chew, and there's a weird superficial aftertaste, probably because of the shrew's plastic surgery, but other than that, it tastes great!" 

Dipper, hearing this, raises a brow in amusement. "You just ate a piece of human flesh? Just randomly decided to do that?" 

Mabel shrugs, already chewing in another piece. "Why not; it tastes good, and it'll just go to waste otherwise." 

"Fair point." 

"You wanna try a piece?" 

Dipper thinks for a moment, then shrugs. "Sure, why not?" 

Mabel rips away yet another chunk, fingers now bloody, and walks over to her brother, handing him the piece just as Preston starts to scream as well, being stabbed by the knife. 

Dipper takes the piece of flesh, slowly taking into his mouth and chewing. His face brightens. "Wow! That actually  _does_ taste good." 

"See? I told you!" 

Dipper laughs. "I know, I know! Just fetch me another piece, please?" 

"Can do!" 

Bill shudders, seeing the estatic look on his pets face, his sclera turning black. "Damn kid, are you trying to kill me?" 

Dipper smirks, making a show of licking the blood from his lips. "Maybe; don't you like pain?" 

The demon's claws clench into the throne with restraint, and the boy laughs. "Patience." 

Ford would've scrunched up his nose in disgust at the sight of his nephew  _flirting_ with that demon, but was quickly distracted by Mabel grinning in their direction. His gut filled with dread.

"Oh, we are just so rude; our guests haven't eaten yet! That just won't do." Mabel giggles, eyes sliding over to the corpse of Mrs. Northwest, grinning maliciously. 

Pacifica was repeatedly stabbing Preston, who was close to death at this point, and so Mabel dashed over to gently take the blade from the other girl's fingers. "That's enough, dear. You've earned your place!" 

The girl simply gives a watery smile, spattered with blood, and leans into Mabel a bit. "Th-Thanks...Can I just sleep now?" 

"Of course, dear." With that, she is teleported out of the room, and Mabel laughs giddily, eyes glowing pink. 

"Oh, boys! Would you be dears and hold open our Grunkle's jaws?"

Mabel holds up the knife, rolling over the bloody corpses of the Northwests to the terrified uncles. "It's feeding time!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! 
> 
> I just went to Comic-Con in Philadelphia!


	18. The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning; Cannabalism, torture, Trypophobia, and death.

Before Ford can process those words, white claws violently plunge between his lips, scrambling against his teeth for a moment before his jaw is violently yanked open, body instinctively struggling at the intrusion. 

Stan is in the same state, mouth held painfully open by Pacifier, who's snout is scrunched up in mild disgust. "Their breath stinks." 

"Well they are old farts; kind of expected of them." 8-Ball shrugs, helping Mabel slice the flesh of the Northwests into bite-sized pieces. 

Pyronica, who is holding Ford's mouth, is casually prodding at his molars. "So weird how they go from pointy to sharp like that." 

"Didn't that book I gave you on human biology explain all that?" Dipper pipes up from the throne. 

A sheepish grin. "I may have burned it, hun." 

"Alrighty! I think we'll go from the bottom to the top, to save the more chunky bits for later." Mabel grins, scooping a few cubes of human meat onto a paper plate and wandering over to Ford first, eyes glimmering with glee.  

"Pyronica, hold his jaw down after I feed him." 

"Sure thing, Sugar Star." The she-demon pauses for a second to blow her a kiss, singular eye winking in a flirtatious manner. 

Ford struggles, and nearly gags when his niece forcefully shoves 3 cubes of human meat into his mouth, the chunks almost going down his throat in the process. 

His teeth are slammed shut, causing small aches to flare up in his gums, and he thrashes in his bonds, trying with all his might to spit out the flesh. Pyronica just giggles, humming a little song as she waits for the man to just give in and eat. 

Stan is sobbing hoarsely now, cries muffled by the cubes in his mouth, but seems to carry no other protest, quietly chewing, heart shattered to pieces and mind broken. The blood squirts onto his tongue with every bite, caking his mouth with the taste of iron, while the actual meat tastes rather tangy, yet with a sweet undertone, almost like peaches. 

Mabel seems appeased by his obedience, patting him on the head like one would with a dog that just preformed a trick. Stan just quivers when she does, afraid if pain, and her grin turns down-right  _predatory._

"Heheh! Guys, I think we've broken Stan!" 

Another chorus of cheering. 

Mabel pats his head again, face brimming with joy. "You're being such a good guest! You've barely even talked at all; if only your brother was as understanding!" 

Stan swallows the meat, shuddering as it goes down his throat, feeling nothing aside from a small pang of disgust, and stays silent, not wanting to anger his niece by speaking. 

Ford and Stan are slowly force-fed strips of flesh from the two dead bodies, to the point where the former ends up vomiting, from both disgust, and his weakened stomach, which couldn't take being stuffed after getting used to minimal food intake. 

The Henchmaniacs all cringe, recoiling. "Ewwwww!"

Mabel huffs, pouting as she crosses her arms. "That was just rude, Grunkle Ford!" 

All he does is glare, feeling the pangs of hatred bubble up in his heart. 

Bill laughs. "Ohoho! I think Sixer still has some fire in that belly of his!"

Dipper sighs in disappointment, even as the demon rests a claw on his thigh. "That flame will be hard to get rid of."

A lightbulb appears above Mabel's head. Literally. "I have an idea!" 

She claps her hands twice, and Ford is hefted higher into the air, 7 feet off the floor, and a tank of water materializes underneath him. With a gasp, the paralysis around his vocal cords vanishes. 

The man immediately growls, glaring. "How could you do this, Mabel?! You really went against your own family? Your friends?!"

Mabel just smiles. "What do you mean; Dipper is my family. Those "friends" would never fully understand me. Understand this." She spreads her arms, gesturing to the room around them. 

Her eyes light up, glowing pink, hands bursting into grey flame. "Now I have real friends; ones that cherish me, understand all of this, and best of all, like me, can never die." 

She chuckles. 

"I always wanted summer to never end. Well, now I have exactly that." 

The chains tighten around Fords limbs, making him wince as blood starts to dribble from where the skin had split open. 

"And when I've had my fun, and when you and Stan die, there will truly be nothing left to save this world from our liberation." 

She snaps her fingers and Ford is violently plunged into the tank, cold water soaking through his clothes and flooding his nostrils, causing him to snort and writhe, clouds of air bubbles spilling out faster than he would've liked. His body thrashes in panic, only succeeding in opening his wounds further, blood starting to drift into the liquid. 

Right when black appears around the edge of his vision, his body is yanked up and out of the water, gasping and coughing violently, muscles shaking from the shock. 

Mabel laughs, and Dipper finally slides off the throne, cane making eerie clacking sounds as the boy stands at the foot of the chair. 

Everyone looks over to see Bill holding up a yellow, gift-wrapped box. "I know I promised to wait until after Sixer and Fezzy are dead to reveal the gifts, but this is too good to pass up." 

Mabel laughs. "Alright, go ahead." 

Ford dimly watches, panting harshly as Bill cups Dippers chin, slowly tilting his head back, making the boy gasp, eyes fluttering shut. 

Bill's singular cat-like pupil stares at Ford directly as he slips a black collar around Dippers neck, clicking it closed. 

It has a blue pine tree symbol on it, outlined with gold. 

The Henchmaniacs hoot with laughter, some wolf-whistling. 

Ford looks away, disgusted. Mabel just chuckles at the display and turns back to the captives. 

The man is once again caught off guard when he is plunged into the water again, nearly blacking out once more as more air escapes his lungs. 

They keep going, dunking Ford in and out of the water over and over, the time spent under lasting a few more seconds each time. His thoughts start to crumble, soley focused on keeping enough air in his lungs to prevent drowning, though more often than not he has to spit up water; his teeth are chattering from the bone-deep chill of the water. 

His anger slowly deteriorates the closer he gets to drowning, turning into meek whimpers of hurt and fear. 

When he comes up the 15th time, water spilling out between his lips, coughing hard as his lungs try to get the liquid out, he lifts his shaking head to peer at Mabel, glasses having been knocked off at some point. 

"...P-Please...Stop.."  

The girl blinks at the whimper, then smirks, clapping her hands and making the tank disappear, and Ford is harshly dropped to the floor, chains pinning him in place.

"You get 5 minutes. What do you say?"

The man doesn't answer, body shuddering in relief, chest heaving to take in more air. He cries out weakly when Mabel stomps down on his hand, pain shooting up his arm. "What. Do you. Say?"

Ford's eyes close. "..Thank you.." 

He nearly sobs when Mabel pats his head. "That's better." 

Stan's screaming fills the air, and Ford shakily lifts his head to see his brother being suspended, stretched out and belly-up. 8-Ball and Pyronica were holding long barbed staffs, which were red-hot at the tips, and were burying them into his back, careful not to hit any organs or major arteries, the heat of the metal cauterizing the holes. 

Ford watches, too scared to try and speak up, especially since he was given a small time to rest. His mind was taking a back seat to the instinct of self-preservation, and tried not to listen to the screams. 

Stan is sobbing hard, body writhing in agony, which only succeeds in making the barbs dig into his flesh, much to the delight of the two demons, who were laughing. 

Mabel watches the show with great amusement, smirking. "Heheh. Look at him; he's like a piñata." 

Kryptos playfully elbows her, smiling. "Why don't we get two sticks and see who gets the candy?" 

She hums, then nods. "Yeah, might as well. His compliance was nice but it's boring me." 

A snap of the tilted square's fingers and two bats with nails sticking out of them are in their hands. Mabel grins. 

"Pyronica, sweetie, can you give me a lift?" 

Kryptos casually raps the bat against his palm. "Yo, 8-Ball, I need a perch!"

 The two look over, and grin, letting them sit on their shoulders, starting to swing at Stan with all their might. 

Ford flinches, eyes squeezed shut as the screams increase, getting louder, thankfully masking the horrid sounds of the nails tearing his flesh, as well as his bones cracking from the bats. He hears Bill laughing like wild in the background, and his heart shatters. 

He dimly starts to sob, tears pouring down his face. 

Kryptos cries out in triumph as his bat tears off a chunk of Stan's belly, his stomach and intestines slowly dribbling out of the rip. 

The Henchmaniacs all cheer when his guts finally hit the floor, blood and bile spilling everywhere. 

Dipper and Mabel laugh, with big smiles. 

Thats when the latter hears Ford crying, and she grins. "Took a while, Bill, but we got Ford now."

"Great job, Shooting Star! You had your fun?"

"Yeah. I just want to start the rest of the party; the music, dancing, all of that! Maybe some alone time with Py too." At that, she winks at the she-demon.  

Ford barely processes what they're saying before a shoe kicks him right in the teeth, sending his head snapping back, squealing in pain. Mabel grips his hair, craning the man's head up to look at her. 

The shining magenta blaze of a fiery sword is poised between his eyes. Mabel sighs in content. 

"You know, I kind of have to thank you, Grunkle Ford; if it wasn't for you, I never would've gotten the chance to have all this. A new, exciting life. One that never ends. That's why I'm giving you a quick death, unlike your poor brother. Dipper, do you have any words?"

He hears the boy respond. "Nah, I'm good. Could you hurry this up; Bill is getting more handsy."

"Heheh. Sure." 

Mabel raises the sword. "Sorry to say this, but I have a new family now. So, guess I'll just say...Goodbye, Stanford Pines." 

Blood paints the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! 
> 
> Whelp, that's the end of my fic. I really appreciate how so many people liked it, and commented! 
> 
> This was my first fic and I'm glad you liked it! 
> 
> Think you could help me and maybe spread this fanfic on Tumblr? 
> 
> Thank You!
> 
> EDIT: I will be writing on other fanfics in the future. 
> 
> Also, thanks to the comments pointing how subtle the BillDip is, you can just spread it on Tumblr.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Thank you for reading this! Now, I have school right now so I'm not sure when I'll update. That, and my motivation runs out quickly so COMMENTS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. 
> 
> And if it wasn't clear; Bill blew up the town to destroy the barrier. THIS IS AN AU SO THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT!


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